Elena's Escape
by aj81writing NO LONGER IN USE
Summary: AU/AH. Believed to have drowned, Elena Gilbert flees her abusive husband and decides to start a new life in the small town of Mystic Falls. Will she ever be able to escape her past and build a new life for herself?
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: I couldn't help myself. This is one of two story ideas I've had sloshing around in my head for awhile now. I wanted to complete my other stories before starting this, but I just couldn't wait. _

_This is an AU/AH story based on the 1991 film "Sleeping With the Enemy" (no copyright infringement intended). If you haven't seen it, I definitely recommend it (if you're old enough, that is). This story may seem a bit like my story "A Stranger In My Home", but I have a completely different storyline in mind. It will follow the premise of the movie, but as per usual, I'm putting a different spin on things. If you've seen the movie, you'll recognize some of the scenes, but I'm starting the story from when she's on the bus. _

_As for the characters… well, I guess you'll just have to read and see what happens and who shows up, won't you? ; ) Enjoy!_

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><p>ELENA'S ESCAPE<p>

~ PROLOGUE ~

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><p>Elena sat by the window, her forehead resting against the cool glass. The patter of rain was soothing to her frazzled nerves, and she found comfort in the darkness of the night. Under the cloak of darkness, she could disappear. The Greyhound bus travelled along roads she had never seen before, passed state lines without hesitation. The further away she got, the better. The less likely he was to find her.<p>

Elena glanced around the bus, watching the other passengers sleeping. She wondered what _their_ story was – and if they would believe hers. If she told them she had died yesterday, would they have recommended she seek counseling? But it was true. Elena Gilbert _had_ died yesterday, as far as the world was concerned. The body would never be found – obviously - and she was believed to have drowned. To everyone who knew her, Elena Gilbert couldn't swim. Only her aunt Jenna knew the truth – that Elena had spent hours training so that one day, when he wasn't looking, she could get away.

The moment she met Thomas Wilkins, she knew he would be her ticket out of her abusive marriage. He and his wife Marilyn owned a yacht and offered to take her and Kyle out sailing. Kyle had punished Elena for even speaking to Thomas in the first place, but he couldn't say no to the invitation. The Wilkins' were prominent people, and the connection would serve Kyle's business purposes well.

Elena couldn't believe her luck when a storm came upon them while they were out in the bay, and in a moment of confusion, Elena went overboard, leaving her life jacket behind. She clung to a buoy, listening to their frantic voices as they searched for her. She waited until she heard voices no more and then she swam. She made it to her Aunt Jenna's house, got a bag of clothes, put on her disguise and jumped on the first bus out of town. She and Jenna said their tear-filled goodbyes, not knowing if they would ever see each other again. Elena Gilbert died that day.

Morning light shone through the window and Elena stirred in her seat. Looking out, she saw only woods. After a while, the bus drove through a small town and came to a stop. A sign said Mystic Falls, Virginia. It sounded like a place as good as any to start a new life, Elena thought to herself and grabbed her bag.

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: There you have it – a very short prologue. Chapter one is already written and will be published shortly._


	2. Starting Fresh

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p>ELENA'S ESCAPE<p>

~ Starting Fresh ~

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><p>It was the start of a hot summer's day when Elena stepped onto the pavement. Her trainers stuck to the asphalt like glue, making a sucking sound as she walked. She tread down Main Street, hoping to get a feel for the town and some ideas as to what she was to do next. She had a name picked out for herself already. She had always liked the name 'Katherine', ever since she and her mom watched old Katherine Hepburn movies together when Elena was little. As for a last name, there was a hardware story down the block from Jenna's house, and the name 'Pierce' lingered in her mind when she began to prepare for her escape.<p>

Jenna had called in an old favor from a lowlife named Logan Fell that she knew from high school, and he had made Elena the proud owner of a fake ID. She had no other documentation to corroborate her existence, but she and Jenna had come up with a story. Katherine Pierce lost her family and her home in a tragic fire. All records were lost except for the ID she was carrying in her wallet.

Elena knew she had to find a job where not too many questions were asked. The money Jenna had gotten for her would cover a deposit on a small rental, but not much more than that. As she walked down the street, a sign in a window caught her eye. _Help Wanted_. This must be fate, Elena thought and pushed the door open.

The Mystic Grill was a good-sized diner/bar with a cozy feel to it. She asked one of the waitresses where she could find the manager and was directed to the bar. A blond, blue-eyed, all-American-looking boy – no, _man_ – stood behind the counter, polishing shot glasses.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for the manager?" Elena asked timidly.

"That's me," the blond announced. "Matt Donovan. How may I help you?" he smiled.

"I'm actually here about the job," Elena gestured to the sign in the window.

"Oh! Well, great. We're looking for a waitress. My sister Vicki used to waitress here, but now she's going on maternity leave, so we need someone right away. How soon can you start?"

"Um… right away. But don't you need references, or something?" No, why did she say that? She didn't have references!

"Nah, you seem like a nice enough person," Matt shrugged. "Plus, I'm kinda desperate. So what's your name?"

"Katherine… Pierce."

"Do you mind if I call you Kat?"

"Um… no, I guess not, Mr. Donovan."

"_Matt_," Matt stated. "We're not so formal around here. It's a small town, where everybody knows everything about everybody else."

"Oh… great," Elena said, hesitant. Maybe this wasn't the best place to settle down, after all. Maybe it would be easier to disappear in a big city. "Well, do you happen to know if there are any places for rent around here? I just got to town and I don't have a place to stay."

"Oh… well, there's the Salvatore Boarding House. But if you're looking for a more permanent solution, I'll spread the word."

"Thank you. But I suppose a boarding house will suffice for the moment – just until I get better acquainted with this town."

"Ok, well, let me write down Zach's number for you…" Matt said, getting out a note pad and scribbling something down. "There you go," he said and handed over a piece of paper.

"Thank you," Elena said.

"So why don't you come in first thing in the morning, and someone will show you the ropes. Sound good?"

"Yes. Thank you so much," Elena smiled and shook his hand. She stepped back out onto the street and got out her new disposable cell phone and dialed the number Matt had given her.

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><p>About an hour later, she stood outside the Salvatore Boarding House. She had gotten the directions from Zach and walked the whole way out here. Elena enjoyed the fresh air and the feeling of being free to go wherever she wanted. She hadn't felt that way in a long time.<p>

She rung the doorbell and waited. A sandy haired man in his late 30s opened the door. "Miss Pierce?"

"Katherine, yes. Nice to meet you, Mr. Salvatore," she extended her hand in greeting.

"Oh, please, call me Zach. Come on in. You're actually my only boarder at the moment. Tourist season starts next week, so there'll be more people here then – I hope."

"Oh, is Mystic Falls a popular place for tourists?"

"Mostly campers and hunters, actually. But the falls are a popular attraction, and during the summer season, there are a lot of town activities. We are very proud of our heritage here. There's a museum and a town hall where you can browse the founders' archives. We have a Founders' Ball, a beauty pageant, a Founders' Day Parade, a Masquerade Ball and a film festival."

"Sounds like a lot of fun," Elena smiled politely.

"Yes, it is. So what brings you here?"

"I just stepped off the bus today, actually. It looked like a nice place to live," Elena shrugged.

"Where did you live before?"

"Far away," Elena said plainly.

Zach took the hint and didn't push. "Well, let me show you to your room." He ushered her upstairs and over to a large room with an en-suite bathroom.

The room was decorated with a color scheme that made her think of calla lilies. It was airy and relaxing. The queen-sized bed was made up with white linens and a pale green comforter.

"This is gorgeous," Elena breathed. "Are you sure? I mean, the rent we discussed…"

"Like I said, you're the only guest at the moment, and we're not exactly overbooked for the foreseeable future, so you might as well enjoy it."

"Thank you," Elena said, overjoyed.

"Don't mention it," Zach shrugged. "Now if you'll excuse me…"

"Yes, of course."

As soon as Zach left, Elena flopped down on the bed, moaning in contentment as her head sunk into the soft pillows.

"Sounds like fun. Mind if I join you?" a velvety voice said and Elena flew off the bed, staring at the lounging figure in the doorway who was watching her with a smirk on his perfectly sculpted lips and a twinkle in his piercing blue eyes. He was all dressed in black to match his raven hair. The man screamed danger, but there was something else about him too, something Elena couldn't put her finger on.

"Excuse me?" Elena said, rattled.

"You must be Zach's new tenant. I'm Damon, Zach's nephew."

"Oh… I'm… Katherine. I just got here. Zach told me there was no-one else staying here," she added, puzzled.

"I just got here, too. I'm here for the summer. I teach literature at the college. Are you here for a summer class?"

"No. I just… I thought I'd give this town a chance."

"You wanted a change so you decided to move to Mystic Falls? Sounds kinda crazy, if you ask me."

"Well, I wasn't asking, was I?" Elena huffed.

"No, I guess not," Damon said. "So what are you plans?"

"I got a job."

"Already? Where?"

"Waitressing at the Mystic Grill."

"Dream job?"

"It'll pay the rent – hopefully."

"Well, if you're interested… I could use a TA."

"Thanks, but I haven't gone to college."

"You don't have to go to college to be a TA for the summer. You'll basically just be Xeroxing and handing out compendiums. And you can participate if you like. Do you like reading?"

"I love it. But I just read for fun, I don't know how to analyze what I read or anything."

"You'll learn," he shrugged. "Listen, if you like, I'll talk to Matt and see if we can work something out. I only teach three days a week, so the best I can offer you is a part-time job, but you could split the time between the Grill and the college."

Elena thought about his offer. It seemed as if everything was falling into place. Such an unusual feeling for her. It would help her start her new life – getting work experience from two different fields. And she had always wanted to go to college. She was accepted to UCLA just before she married Kyle and became his property. From that moment on, her future had been set in stone – trophy wife, punching bag, worthless piece of… well, she had escaped her life, left behind a tombstone, and she finally had the chance to make a fresh start. To be whatever she wanted to be. This could be her defining moment.

"Yes. Thank you, I'd like that very much."

"Great. I'll talk to Matt and I'll see you later, all right?"

"All right," she nodded.

When Damon left, Elena closed the door and went into the en-suite bathroom and took a long, relaxing shower. She hadn't realized, until the shower massage rubbed her sore and tense muscles, the toll her late night swim and subsequent bus ride had taken on her body. Not that she wasn't used to the discomfort.

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><p>As Elena dressed in front of the full-length mirror, she examined her body. The bruises on her back, upper arms, stomach and thighs were all in different stages of healing. Her back always took the worst hit – when he threw her on the floor or against the wall. The stomach always hurt the most – that's where he would kick her when she was on the floor. The upper arms were his target when they were out in public – they served as a warning. The bruising on the thighs were from when he… Elena shuddered and pulled her jeans on.<p>

Elena brushed her hair in front of the mirror and jumped in fright when Kyle materialized behind her. She spun around, but there was no-one there. She could see him clearly in her mind, though, coming up behind her when she sat at her vanity, taking the brush from her and running it through her long silky brown hair. She could hear him whispering how much he loved her hair. She could feel his hands on her shoulders, pushing down the straps of her dress, travelling down. She could feel his hands around her neck, pulling her out of her chair and over to the bed. Elena dropped the brush. Would she ever be free of these memories – these images haunting her? She grabbed her purse and left the house in a hurry.

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><p>Elena walked back into town and found what she was looking for. <em>Locks by Lockwood<em>. She pushed open the door and a little bell announced her arrival. A beautiful blonde with bouncing locks smiled broadly at her.

"Hi! Did you have an appointment?" she asked, her voice chipper.

"Um… no, I was hoping… are you free?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, I thought you might be one of Carol's clients. I'm Caroline. Please, have a seat," she gestured to one of the chairs. "Now, did you have something specific in mind?" Caroline said as she ran her hands through Elena's hair, trying to get a feel for the quality and texture of the hair.

"Just… something different," Elena said.

"Are you sure you want me to cut it? I mean, it's gorgeous. Maybe just a trim?"

"No! I need a change," Elena insisted.

"I gotcha… we're cutting away more things than hair, right? I know the feeling. When I found out Tyler was cheating on me with Matt's sister, I said to Carol – cut him out of my hair as well as my life. Granted, it was a bit awkward, since Carol's his mom, but still…" Caroline prattled on.

"Go crazy," Elena said.

"Really?" Caroline lit up. "No-one ever lets me do whatever I want with their hair. You must be a really brave person."

"I don't know about that…" Elena mumbled to herself.

An hour later, Elena looked at the new her in the mirror – Katherine. She was still a brunette, but her hair was curled and cut into a bob. She looked confident and strong. It truly was amazing what a haircut could do for one's self esteem. Now she had to go shopping for new clothes to match her new identity. Caroline seemed to have the same idea.

"Listen, I don't have any more clients today, and Carol's coming back in like five minutes, so why don't I take you out shopping? I know all the best stores."

During the hour they had spent together, Elena had learned just about everything there was to know about Caroline Forbes, and Caroline had learned that Elena – no, _Katherine_ – lost her family in a tragic fire and just got to town, determined to make a fresh start.

Elena agreed to the shopping spree. She genuinely liked Caroline and wouldn't mind spending time with her. Elena had been isolated from her old friends for so long, it felt nice to have someone to talk to. Even if every word out of her mouth would be a lie. Elena hated lying, but it was necessary. She couldn't risk slipping up, leave a trail that he could find. All it took was the smallest suspicion that she might not have drowned at sea, and he would come looking for her. And if he came looking, he would find her, she was sure of it. He would find her – and he would kill her.


	3. Suspicious Minds

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: The one good thing about being sick and having to stay home from work is that you get a lot of time in bed with your notebook. Now if I could only focus long enough to type it all out on my computer…_

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><p>ELENA'S ESCAPE<p>

~ Suspicious Minds ~

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><p>Elena was just pulling the dress Caroline selected for her over her head when the changing room door swung open.<p>

"How's it going in here?" Caroline asked, chipper, but her face fell as she saw Elena's bruises. She stepped into the changing room and shut the door behind her. "Oh my god, Kat. What happened to you?"

"Nothing. It's nothing," Elena said, quickly pulling on her own sweater and jeans.

"That is _not_ nothing. Did someone hurt you?"

"No! Of course not. I fell. I wasn't paying attention and I fell down the stairs."

"Katherine…"

"I'm fine. Honest."

"Ok…"

"Look, today's been great, but I should get back to the boarding house."

"Ok. Do you need a ride?"

"No, it's fine. I'll walk. I'm thinking of getting a bicycle."

"Oh, well, Darren at the hardware store has a bunch of bikes for sale out back. You could stop by after your shift at the Grill."

"Ok, thanks. I'll see you later. Take care," Elena said as they parted ways.

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><p>"Hi, honey," Matt said and kissed his girlfriend's cheek as she came home. "Where have you been?"<p>

"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. I went shopping with my new friend after work."

"You made a new friend?"

"Well, don't look so surprised," Caroline punched his arm and he laughed.

"Sorry, I just meant, don't you already know everyone here?"

"I know, right? But actually, this girl came into the salon today and she just moved here. She's your new waitress, by the way."

"Kat?"

"Yeah, exactly. She's super nice."

"Well, good."

"But I think she's hiding something…" Caroline bit her lip.

"Oh? Like what?"

"Well, I walked in while she was changing…"

"Care, boundaries! We've talked about this, remember? Not everyone enjoys people walking in on them while they're changing – especially strangers!"

"Well, you're missing the point. She has bruises all over her body, Matt. I think someone's hurt her."

"Did you ask her?"

"Duh! Of course I did."

"And?"

"And she said she fell down some stairs."

"And you don't buy it?"

"Not for a second. I mean, some of those bruises – yeah, they could have been the result of a bad fall, but she had bruises on her inner thighs, Matt."

"So what do you think we should do?"

"Just… talk to her. See if you can find something out. There has to be a reason that she jumped on a bus and decided to start a new life in a random town."

"So what? If she _was_ being abused, she's obviously free from whoever was hurting her. Why drag it up if she wants to move on?"

"Because whoever did this to her needs to be punished."

"You're sounding like the Sheriff's daughter."

"So? You know I'm right about this, Matt."

"Fine, I'll see what I can find out. But if she doesn't want to talk about it, I'm not gonna force her to, ok?"

"Ok. Love you."

"Love you too."

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><p>Elena was halfway to the boarding house when a blue Camaro pulled up alongside her. "Need a lift?" a vaguely familiar voice called out to her. She looked over to see a pair of piercing blue eyes under a mass of black windblown hair.<p>

"Thanks, but I like walking."

"What's the matter? You don't like cars?"

Elena had nothing against cars per se, she just didn't know how to drive. Kyle didn't want her to learn. "I just enjoy the fresh air, is all," she shrugged.

"Oh, come on, the sun's setting and you have at least half an hour left. It'll be dark before you get back."

"I don't mind."

"Well, these woods are crawling with wolves and mountain lions, so _I_ mind. After all, you're Zach's only boarder. He can't afford to be without your rent-check," Damon joked. "Come on, just get in the car."

"Fine," Elena sighed and stepped into the passenger seat.

"You look different from earlier today," Damon commented, his eyes on the road.

"Yeah," Elena ran a hand through her hair, "I felt like I needed a change."

"I like it."

"Thanks."

"So… I talked to Matt. If you want, you can work at the college between 10 and 4 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and work at the Grill the rest of the time."

"Ok. Sounds good."

"Yeah? Well, I guess I'll see you on Wednesday morning, then."

"Well, you'll see me sooner than that, I guess… we _do_ live in the same house, remember?"

"Oh, I remember…" he smirked and wriggled his eyebrows.

Elena ignored him. The last thing she needed was another man in her life.

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><p>Elena awoke with a start. Her pulse was racing and she was drenched in sweat. Panicked, her eyes scanned the room. It was the middle of the night, but she must have forgotten to draw the curtains before she went to bed, because the pale, cold moonlight flooded the room, making every piece of furniture cast menacing shadows. Her fingers found the switch for her bedside lamp and the soft, warm glow chased the shadows away.<p>

Feeling cold but clammy, Elena went into the bathroom. She hoped she wouldn't wake anyone by running the shower, but she just had to wash her dreams away.

After a long, hot shower, Elena slipped on a bathrobe and a pair of slippers and crept downstairs. Zach had told her she could use the kitchen anytime she liked and help herself to whatever she could find in the fridge or the pantry. All included. Elena decided to make herself some chamomile tea to calm her nerves.

She was just about to pour the tea when a velvety voice sounded from the doorway, startling her. "Couldn't sleep?" Elena jumped in fright and poured the scalding hot liquid on her hand instead of in the cup. She cried out in pain. Damon was beside her in an instant, taking her hand and pulling her over to the sink where he ran the water to cool her skin.

"I'm so sorry, Katherine. I didn't mean to scare you like that. I should have paid more attention to what you were doing before I said something."

"It's fine," Elena mumbled.

"No, it's not. It was stupid of me. Will you forgive me?"

"I… of course." Elena was surprised. Kyle had apologized to her on several occasions, early on in their relationship, but he had never taken responsibility for his actions. His every apology had been followed by the excuse that _she_ had made him do it. And here this stranger was apologizing to her for scaring her and blaming himself for not paying attention to the fact that something _might_ harm her in the process.

"Here, let me get that for you," he said and poured the tea into the cup, setting it down on the kitchen table.

"Thanks," Elena said. "I was actually just gonna bring it with me upstairs."

"Oh. Well… have a good night, then," he said and headed back upstairs.

Elena tore the damp sheets off the bed and found new, crisp ones in the linen closet. The tea had managed to relax her and she fell asleep dreaming of caring blue eyes instead of cruel grey ones.

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><p>"So that's about it," the blonde waitress proclaimed after she had given Elena the grand tour of the Grill. "Do you have any questions?"<p>

"Not right now, but I'm sure I will have a ton of them as the day goes on," Elena smiled.

"Well, I'm here all day. You can ask me anything," the blonde smiled.

"Hey, Lexi!" Matt called out from the bar. "I need you to work the bar tonight for a few hours. Could you show Kat the ropes?"

"Ok, boss!" Lexi shouted back. "He hates it when I call him that," she winked at Elena. "So, I guess we'll be manning the bar together tonight."

"Ok, great."

"You have any experience with bartending?"

"Nope." Not unless you count pouring Kyle his drinks, Elena added in her mind.

"Well, it's not that difficult. We have a couple of regulars. Occasionally, during tourist season, we get a couple of drink requests, but otherwise it's just your basics – beer, vodka shots, wine, bourbon… no mixing skills needed. Take this guy for example," Lexi nodded towards the entrance, where a dark-haired man just walked in. "Always bourbon neat," she said to Elena. To the customer, she shouted "Yo! Loser! We're not open yet!"

Elena wondered if that was the standard greeting until he walked up to them and kissed her cheek. "Oh, come on, Lex," he pouted, "I had a really bad night. _Someone_ ran the shower in the middle of the night, and you _know_ what sounds that make in the pipes." He gave Elena a pointed look.

"Don't you have papers to grade or something, Damon?" Lexi asked with her hands on her hips.

"Classes don't start until tomorrow, Lex. Oh, and by the way, have you met my new TA?" he gestured towards Elena.

"Oh, you poor thing," Lexi said, "you're gonna work for this guy?"

"Hey, be nice."

"I take it you guys know each other," Elena commented.

"She used to date my little brother when they were in high school. Thankfully, he wised up and got the hell out of town."

"Ouch," Lexi said, punching Damon's arm.

"You have a brother?"

"Yeah. He lives in Florida now. He's adopted the whole surfer life style for some chick. Oh, well," he shrugged, "whatever keeps him out of my hair. Little brothers can be _so_ annoying," he rolled his eyes.

"Tell me about it," Elena mumbled, then caught herself. She wasn't supposed to _have_ a family. Damon must have interpreted her expression as something else, because he reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. Zach told me you lost your family…"

"Don't worry about it," Elena shrugged him off.

"Ok… um… is Matt around?" Damon turned to Lexi.

"He was just at the bar…" she looked around, "guess he went in the back."

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><p>"Hey, man," Damon knocked on the doorpost.<p>

Matt looked up from his stack of papers. "Oh, hey, Damon. What brings you here?"

"Oh, nothing much," Damon said casually, walking over to the notice board.

"Riiight… you expect me to believe that?"

"So I was curious, ok? I wanted to see how things were working out."

"What is it about this girl?" Matt mused. "She seems to bring out the protective side in everyone."

"What do you mean?" Damon frowned, closing the door to the office behind him.

"Well, Caroline met her yesterday when she came into the salon…"

"Oh, so Blondie's responsible for the new look. I should have guessed."

"Whatever. So, Caroline takes her shopping – you know how she is –"

"Nosy little airhead," Damon mumbled.

"Hey!"

"Sorry. Go on."

"So anyways, she comes home and tells me she's seen bruises all over Kat's body, and she wants me to find out what has happened to her."

"Didn't she ask her herself?"

"Yeah, Kat said she fell down some stairs, but Caroline doesn't believe her."

"So did you ask her?"

"No. I don't know how. I mean, it's none of my business, right?"

"So why are you telling _me_?"

"I don't know," Matt shook his head.

"Your gossipy girlfriend's rubbing off on you."

"Yeah, well, at least I _have_ a girlfriend," Matt huffed.

"Ouch," Damon mocked.

"What happened to that reporter you were dating? Andie, wasn't it?"

"I moved on," Damon shrugged.

"And that hot TA you brought over for Thanksgiving? Rose, right?"

"Friends with benefits. How come _you_ remember what my ex-girlfriends do for a living when I have a hard enough time remembering their names?"

"Must be my awesome people skills," Matt mocked.

"Nah, I blame your nosy, gossipy girlfriend."

"You dated her too, remember?"

"Whatever. That was high school. I was a senior, she was a cheerleader. It was expected."

"How did we ever become friends?"

"I loaned you the money to buy the Grill, remember?"

"Oh, right… I knew there had to be some reason I still tolerated you."

"Oh, please, you know you love me. Ours is a forbidden love," Damon said in a dramatic voice.

"Dude, I'm eating!" Matt cringed.

"No, you're not," Damon laughed.

"Ok, but we're in a restaurant. I _could_ be."

"So… about Kat. Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on her, and if I see something suspicious, I'll talk to Liz, ok?"

"Still think it's weird that you're on a first-name basis with my girlfriend's mother."

"What can I say?" Damon shrugged. "Mom's love me."

"Yeah, unless you're dating their daughters."

"Whatever. Ok, look, I gotta go. Say hi to Blondie for me."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author'<strong>__**s Note**__: Before you ask, no, I didn't write that Elena told Zach her family died in a fire, but it apparently came up in a conversation I wasn't privy to… : ) After all, that was the story Elena and Jenna cooked up, so it would make sense if she told someone to prevent them from asking more questions._

_Just as a side note, I did actually bartend for a night or two while I was doing an internship at a small catering company years ago, and I sucked at it. Lately, the only mixing of drinks I've been doing is vodka and orange juice with my friend, and we don't really check the quantities… so I hope my description didn't seem too far off... : )_


	4. Barroom Brawls

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p>ELENA'S ESCAPE<p>

~ Barroom Brawls ~

* * *

><p>On her afternoon break, Elena stopped by Darren's Hardware and bough a tri-speed bike. Elena congratulated herself on another step on her way to independence completed.<p>

When she got back to the Grill, the evening shift was just starting and she found Lexi in the break room, gulping down what must be her tenth cup of coffee that day.

"Did you find something you liked?"

"Yeah. You're now looking at the proud owner of a… ok, I have no idea what kind of bike it was, but it's guaranteed to take me between work and home."

"Good. So, are you ready for your first bartending gig?"

"Bring it on."

"That's my girl," Lexi smiled and they went out to the bar. "So remember, if someone asks you for a drink you don't know how to mix, you give me a shout or you look at this little cheat-sheet," she pointed to a laminated menu on the counter. "Here are the ingredients, the quantity, and the price."

"Got it," Elena said.

"Good. I know you'll do great."

* * *

><p>Matt wasn't much for uniforms. All he asked was that his staff wear jeans and black tops to create a sense of unity, and that everyone wear a short blue apron with <em>Mystic Grill<em> printed on it. This suited Elena fine, because she wouldn't feel comfortable wearing the tight-fitted tank top that Lexi wore. Instead, she chose a black button-down shirt that covered just about everything. As the night went on, though, Elena started to re-think her choice of attire. She was sweating like crazy.

"You look hot," a dark-haired, broad-shouldered man said, leaning over the bar. Elena gave him a puzzled look. "You should take that off," he gestured to her shirt.

"Don't mind him, he's a douche," Lexi said, shoving two beers into the man's hands.

"I was just trying to be helpful," he muttered and wandered back to his friends.

"That's Tyler Lockwood," Lexi said in Elena's ear. "He's a dog. You know he used to date Caroline Forbes, right? Well, he cheated on her with Matt's sister Vicki and got her pregnant. Now she's home on bed rest while he's scamming on the new hot bartender." Elena caught him looking at her and shuddered. Lexi noticed her reaction. "Yeah, my thoughts exactly."

Elena turned her attention to the new customer who had just sat down at the bar. "Let me guess… bourbon neat?" she smiled.

"That's my drink," he smiled back at her. "So how's your first day been?" Damon asked as Elena scooted the tumbler over to him.

"Long," she sighed. "But I like it."

"Lexi's been good to you?"

"I'm always good," Lexi interjected.

"Oh, really?" Damon raised his eyebrows. "Because I seem to recall a time when you were really…"

"Ok, you're cut off!" Lexi said quickly.

"I haven't even had _one_ drink," Damon objected.

"Stop filling this poor girl's head with stories, then."

"I always tell the truth, you know that."

"Yeah, well, some truths are better left unspoken."

Elena silently agreed.

"So, you come here every night?" Elena asked when Lexi left to tend to another customer.

"Is that a pick-up line?" Damon winked.

Elena involuntarily blushed. Man, it was hot in here. "No."

"Riiight… well, yeah, I kinda do. In case you haven't noticed, there's not a lot to do in this town, so every summer I come back here, I spend my evenings at the Grill, seeing as how all my friends work here."

"Aww… did you just call me your friend, Damon?" Lexi teased as she was getting her customer's order. "Your life must be so… pathetic."

"I wasn't talking about you, Lex."

"Right, because you have _so_ many friends here…"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Ignore her. She's just jealous because no-one wants to talk to her unless she's pouring them drinks." For that remark, Damon got a peanut thrown at him.

"Hey! I wasn't ready. You're making me look bad here, Lex."

"Oh, I think you're doing great with that all on your own."

"I'm excellent at catching peanuts, by the way," Damon said in a stage whisper to Elena. "I can also tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue," he added with a wink.

"Wow… just like Matt's mom," Lexi said, earning herself a glare from Damon.

"So, how late are you working tonight?" Damon turned to Elena, changing the subject.

"Oh, for another hour or so, I guess."

"Well, would you like a ride home?"

"Actually, I bought myself a bike today, so no more walking through the woods."

"A bike? What is it with you and your aversion to cars?"

"Well, for one thing I can't afford a car yet, and then there's the tiny detail of me not having a driver's license."

"What? How do you not have a license? You're certainly old enough."

Elena scoffed. "Was that supposed to be a compliment?"

"I just meant, you're not sixteen anymore. You _are_ older than sixteen, right?"

Elena laughed. "Yeah, sixteen was about ten years ago."

"Ok, good. So how come you never learned how to drive?"

Elena shrugged. "I guess… it was never the right time."

"Well, no time like the present. You're starting fresh, right? Let me teach you how to drive."

"No, that's ok, Damon."

"Really, I insist."

"I don't want to take up your time. You're only here for the summer, and…"

"What better time to learn? The weather's great, I have a convertible, and a lot of free time on my hands."

"Just say yes already," Lexi sighed, "you'll never be rid of him until you do."

"Wow, Lex, that was the first smart thing I've heard come out of your mouth in like… ever," Damon mocked.

"Ok, ok," Elena laughed. "Will you two give it a rest already? Thank you, Damon, I would like to learn how to drive."

"Great. We'll have our first lesson on Sunday. That's your day off, right?"

"Well, you would know… you negotiated my schedule," Elena smiled.

"Right. I'm clever like that."

"And modest." Elena chuckled.

"And hogging the seat, "Lexi interjected. "Come on, buddy, there are other customers in this bar, you know. Actual, paying customers."

"_I'm_ a paying customer," Damon pointed out.

"Yeah, well, paying customers who don't waste their time flirting with the bartender," Lexi clarified.

"I don't think I'm wasting my time at all," Damon smirked and dropped a bill on the counter, taking off.

* * *

><p>"Is he always like that?" Elena asked as she and Lexi were closing up.<p>

"Who?"

"Damon."

"You mean the perpetual flirt? Yeah, he has been for as long as I've known him."

"Oh."

"Why do you ask?"

"No reason. Just… curious about the people in this town," Elena shrugged, trying to act indifferent.

"Well, if you wanna know everything there is to know about the people of this town, I'd talk to Caroline. She's a sweetheart, but she's the biggest gossip."

"She is?" Elena said, suddenly worried about the bruises Caroline saw. Did she tell someone?

"Yeah, love her to death, but that girl does not know when to shut up. This one time, I told her I suspected my boyfriend Lee was cheating on me, then the next thing I knew, I was getting sympathetic looks from people and little old blue-haired ladies would stop me on the street and give me dating advice."

"Was he cheating?"

"No! The girl people had seen him around with was his cousin. We managed to put our relationship back together, but I learned my lesson. Don't tell Caroline Forbes anything you don't want to come back and bite you in the you-know-what."

"Gotcha," Elena nodded in understanding, inwardly cursing herself for going shopping with Caroline in the first place. But how was she to know Caroline would walk into the changing room without warning?

Lexi waited until Elena had unlocked her bike before saying goodnight and getting in her car. Elena got the distinct feeling that someone was watching her, but she couldn't see anything. She pedaled back to the boarding house as fast as she could.

* * *

><p>Damon insisted on driving them to the college the following morning. As Elena stepped out of the car in front of the Mystic Falls College, she was in awe. It was a gorgeous, ivy-league looking building. The main building was surrounded by lush green lawns and old maple trees.<p>

"Wow, it's breathtaking," Elena said, wide-eyed.

"I like it too. Now, come on, we're gonna be late for class."

"You're the professor, you're never late – everyone else is simply early," Elena joked.

"Please don't call me professor," Damon cringed. "It sounds so… old, like I should be wearing tweed or something."

"Ooh, and patches on your elbows," Elena mocked.

"Oh, you know I could rock any look," Damon winked.

"Whatever. Now, you were saying…"

"Huh? Right… class. It's this way."

* * *

><p>Elena found herself pleasantly surprised. From her seat on the first row in the auditorium, she had a perfect view of Damon. He was a spirited lecturer, his passion for literature shone through his eyes, and Elena was mesmerized. As he spoke of his favorite authors throughout history, Elena realized he was quite the romantic. Not something she would have expected from his everyday behavior. Maybe it was all a charade. Could it be that underneath his playboy exterior, there was an actual heart beating? Elena couldn't seem to figure him out.<p>

"So, what'd you think?" Damon asked as they were gathering his things from the lecture hall.

"About…?"

"The school? The auditorium? The students? The class?"

"The school and the lecture hall are as gorgeous as the exterior. The students seem nice, and dedicated. The class was interesting. It was a great introduction to literature."

"And what did you think…" he stepped closer "… about the teacher?"

"He was very… passionate," Elena breathed. Lost in his blue eyes, she stood frozen as he reached up to brush a strand of curly hair aside.

"I really like your hair like this," he said softly.

Elena immediately backed away from him, a startled look in her eyes.

"What's wrong? Katherine?" Damon said, concerned and puzzled at her sudden reaction.

"Uh… nothing," Elena shook her head. "I should get going, I promised Caroline I would meet her for coffee."

"Ok, but…"

"Thanks for… it was a good class," Elena said, getting her purse and heading out.

"Wait! How are you going to get home?"

"I'll walk."

"Katherine…"

"I need to go. I'll see you."

* * *

><p>"Hi sweetie," Caroline said as Elena came through the door to Sally's Bakery and sat down at the table Caroline had claimed.<p>

Sally's Bakery was a small establishment, with only a few tables. Most of Sally's baked goods were sold over the counter, but the small café section was quaint and Sally herself served them their coffee and cupcakes, wearing a frilly apron that made the white-haired lady look like someone who just stepped out of a story book.

"This place is adorable," Elena whispered to Caroline as Sally went to tend to her other customers.

"I know, right. And Sally's cupcakes are _the_ best. So, how was your first day as a TA?"

"It was… interesting. I didn't do much, really, just handed out the syllabus and reading list. But I got to sit in and listen to the lecture. I had no idea Damon was so…"

"Bookish? I know, it's completely out of character, but he's passionate about it."

"Yeah… well, I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity, I mean, I don't have the qualifications for being a TA, and I hope he doesn't expect me to teach a class or anything."

"Nah, Damon's pretty laid-back. I mean, he doesn't usually take on TA's for his summer classes, so I doubt he's expecting you to do what a TA usually does."

"Wait- he doesn't take on TA's for the summer classes? Then why…?"

"Why did he offer the position to a girl he just met with no experience whatsoever? He obviously likes you."

"No, that's not… oh, no."

"You didn't think he might have ulterior motives?"

Elena sighed. "Now I feel stupid."

"Don't. It's still work experience. Who cares why you got the job?"

"But what if he expects…?"

"Damon is a lot of things, but he would never take advantage."

"Ok." Elena let out a sigh of relief.

"So, Matt said you did great at the Grill yesterday," Caroline smiled.

"Yeah? That's nice."

"So you think you might be sticking around for awhile?" Caroline said, sipping her coffee, trying to sound casually interested.

"I don't have anywhere else I need to be," Elena shrugged.

"So tell me about yourself… how come you ended up in Mystic Falls?"

"I was looking for a change of scenery," Elena shrugged.

"Where did you live before?"

"On the west coast." Elena sipped her coffee, hoping Caroline would drop the subject.

"Wow, that's… pretty far."

Elena shrugged.

"Do you still have family there?"

"No. I lost my entire family in a fire."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"I was running late for a family reunion at my parent's house, and when I got there, the building was on fire. I was in the process of moving, so I had stored all of my stuff in their basement. Everything was lost. I just had the clothes on my back and my purse, and I didn't see the point in sticking around, so I stepped on a bus a few days later and I ended up here."

"That's terrible!" Caroline exclaimed and reached out to squeeze Elena's hand. "I'm so sorry, Kat."

"It's not something I like to talk about," Elena said, focusing on her cupcake and silently praying that Caroline would take the hint and stop asking questions. If Caroline really was the gossip Lexi claimed her to be, Elena's story would spread around town and people might stop speculating about her past.

"I understand. But if you ever feel like talking, I'm here, ok?"

"Thanks," Elena smiled warmly. She felt guilty for lying to Caroline, but she couldn't take any chances. It was for the best.

* * *

><p>On Thursday morning, Elena took attendance while Damon went over his notes one last time before class.<p>

"All right, everyone. As you can see from your class schedule, today we're covering the epic genre. Who can tell me what 'epic' means?"

"Something huge, life-changing?" someone suggested.

"Like, legendary," a young blonde girl said, smacking her gum in the process.

"Well, an epic is traditionally a genre of poetry, poems dealing with serious subjects and details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. However, in modern terms, _epic_ is often extended to other art forms, such as novels, plays and films, where the story is centered on heroic characters. Epics in this sense are depictions that capture impressive struggles, such as stories of war, adventures, and …"

* * *

><p>"I didn't hear you come home yesterday," Damon said to Elena when the class had dispersed.<p>

"Caroline dropped me off. I was tired, so I went straight to bed."

"Oh. Listen, about yesterday…"

"I actually need to get going. Lexi called in sick and I promised Matt I'd fill in for her."

"You're working at the Grill tonight?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, I rode my bike to the college this morning, so I won't be walking home after my shift."

"Ok, well… I'll see you later, then."

"Uh-huh. Bye."

Damon stood frozen for a moment, watching Elena walk away. She was avoiding him, he was sure of it. He must have spooked her yesterday. Usually, women were all too happy for his attention, but this girl was different. Maybe Matt was right, maybe someone _did_ hurt her in the past. He should probably just back off, but there was something about her. He wanted to _know_ her.

* * *

><p>It was a busy night at the Grill, and towards the end of her shift, Elena was exhausted. She was gathering her tips from the table that just left and wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. She suddenly felt a hand on her buttocks and a hot breath on her neck.<p>

"How 'bout you take _my_ order next?" a hoarse voice whispered in her ear.

Elena was about to remove herself from the situation when the man suddenly groaned. Elena spun around and saw he was being pushed up against one of the pillars in the restaurant, his arm twisted behind his back. A dark-haired man in a leather jacket was growling at him. "You try that again and I will. Break. Your. Arm," he enunciated. "Got it?" Tyler Lockwood groaned in response and Damon let him go with a pat on the bad. "Good. Now run along."

Elena stared at him in shock.

"Hey, you ok?" Damon said, stepping closer.

Elena reeled back instinctively. "I'm fine. I've got work," she said, excusing herself.

* * *

><p>When Elena left the Grill, Damon was waiting for her, lounging against his car. "What are you doing here?" Elena said as she went to unlock her bike.<p>

"I thought you might need a lift."

"I told you, I have my bike."

"Leave it."

"I can't do that."

"Why not? You don't even have to lock it. The crime rate in Mystic Falls is like… zero."

"I can take care of myself, Damon."

"Oh, I have no doubt about it. But I'm here, and I'm offering my assistance."

"You don't get it, do you? I want to be independent. I spent too long… uh, never mind. I'll see you later, ok?"

"Stop being so stubborn."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. What's so bad about getting a ride from someone? You let Caroline drive you home yesterday."

"I don't need you to save me!"

"So this is about that sleazebag Tyler?"

"Just… forget it."

"No. Why won't you just talk to me?"

"I don't know you!"

"And whose fault is that?"

"Hey, what's going on out here?" A blonde man opened the back door. "Kat? Damon? I heard shouting."

"Everything's fine, Matt. I was just on my way home," Elena said, taking the opportunity to get on her bike and take off, leaving Damon to answer to Matt.

"What's going on?" Matt said, his eyes narrow.

"I think you were right about her," Damon said. "She's definitely hiding something. And I intend to find out what exactly that is."

"Listen, man, maybe you should just let her be."

"I can't."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Definitions of literary terms are courtesy of Wikipedia._


	5. Confessions

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: I just wanted to say thank you for all your kind reviews. This is a long and emotional chapter. Hopefully, there'll be better times ahead… Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>ELENA'S ESCAPE<p>

~ Confessions ~

* * *

><p>Elena arrived at the boarding house at the same time Damon did.<p>

"Kat, please, can we talk about this?" Damon said as he got out of his car.

"There's nothing to talk about. Leave me alone," Elena said and ran inside and up the stairs.

"Kat!"

"Hey, what's going on?" Zach came out of the kitchen, a dish towel in his hands.

"Stay out of it, Zach."

"Katherine's a sweet girl. I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but you need to back off. A girl running away from you is a pretty sure sign that she's not interested."

"You're right. You don't know."

"Damon, listen. She's clearly upset. Your attitude right now isn't helping."

"Fine. I'm going to bed."

* * *

><p>Elena slammed her bedroom door shut behind her. Her pulse was racing and her heart was pounding so hard she couldn't hear anything else. She leaned against the door and slowly sank to the floor, burying her face in her hands. She was overreacting, she knew she was. Damon had been nothing but kind to her, and yet… oh, she had to talk to someone about this. But she couldn't. No-one could know. As her breathing slowed, a thought came to her. Elena rose from the floor and went over to the bed, searching the nightstand drawers for something to write on. She found a note pad and a pen and began scribbling down her thoughts.<p>

_I haven't kept a diary in years, probably not since high school, and I'm not about to start now. I heard on some self-help talk show once – while he was at work – that you could relieve your anxiety by writing down your troublesome thoughts and then burning the pages, as a way to get things out of your mind. So, I have every intention of getting rid of what I'm writing now, if for no other reason than I can't risk anyone reading it. _

_I've freaked out on Damon twice now. The reason I cut my hair was so that every memory of Kyle would disappear along with it. He would always say he loved my hair, run his fingers through it when we were in bed together, and grab it as he slammed my face into the wall. When Damon touched my hair in that lecture hall, I heard Kyle's voice. Then tonight, when he grabbed Tyler, I saw the aggression that I… that was a part of the attraction… that drew me to Kyle in the first place. When we first started going out, he was so sweet and gentlemanlike, he would open doors for me and order for me at restaurants. I thought it was romantic, even though a small part of me said that I was losing my identity by letting him make choices for me. When we went out, guys would hit on me, and Kyle would intimidate them. I thought it was romantic, the way he stood up for me. If someone made a lewd remark, Kyle would beat them up. I thought he was protecting my honor, or something like that. I didn't realize that he saw me as his property. I didn't realize that he wanted to be the only one to treat me like dirt._

Elena didn't realize she was crying until her tears hit the paper and the ink blotted. She wiped her face and scrunched up the paper. She would have to burn it or dump it in the trash where no-one would find it. Maybe she could shred it and flush it down the toilet? Or would it clog? Elena decided to give it a go.

* * *

><p>When Elena woke up the following morning and checked her reflection in the mirror, she flinched at the sight of her puffy eyes from crying herself to sleep. After a round with concealer and powder, she felt prepared to face the public, so to speak. After all the years of covering up bruises, she had become quite the expert. She took a deep breath before leaving the bathroom. She had two options. Either she find herself a new place of residence or she would be forced to explain herself to Damon. Elena settled on the latter option. She racked her brain for a believable explanation but couldn't come up with a plausible story. She decided to tell the truth, or a slight variation of it. Lies that lay close to the truth are, after all, the easiest to remember.<p>

When she entered the Salvatore kitchen, Damon was already at the table, nursing a cup of coffee. Their eyes met as she froze in the doorway. She opened her mouth to speak, but then heard the sizzling from the stove. She looked over and saw Zach, with his back turned, frying eggs and bacon.

"Uh… good morning," Elena said.

"Good morning," Zach said, casting a look over his shoulder. "Have a seat. You like bacon and eggs?"

"Um… that'd be great. Thanks."

Damon and Elena sat in awkward silence until Zach served them breakfast and excused himself. As soon as he was out of earshot, they spoke at once.

"I'm sorry…"

"I'm sorry…"

They chuckled at themselves. Damon went first. "I don't know what came over me last night. You don't have to talk to me if you don't want to. You were right, you don't know me. It was stupid of me to think that you would open up to me about… well, whatever it is that's bothering you. But… I hope… if I'm making you uncomfortable, please let me know. It's not my intention."

"I overreacted. You reminded me of someone… someone I used to know. He was my first boyfriend and he kinda messed me up. I… it's not something I like to talk about. It was a long time ago, but…"

"How long ago?" Damon said after a moment of silence, a hint of doubt in his voice.

"Years and years," Elena said casually, taking a bite out of her breakfast.

"Huh," Damon snorted.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Listen, if you don't want to tell me what happened, that's fine. Just don't make up lies, ok?" Damon said, rising from the table.

"Damon, I wasn't…"

"Forget it. I'm gonna go do some research for my next class, so I'll see you later."

Elena sighed and cleared her plate. She'd lost her appetite. She was just about to leave when she walked right into Damon.

"Sorry."

"Sorry."

"Yeah… listen… I'm sorry. I don't know why I was so insensitive just now, I…"

"It's fine, Damon."

"It's just… Caroline told Matt that…"

"She told you she saw bruises on me," Elena deducted.

"Yeah."

"Didn't she also tell him I fell down a flight of stairs?"

"Yes…"

"And you think I'm lying about that because…?"

"We're just concerned, is all."

"Well, like I told you before, I can take care of myself, and I don't appreciate being called a liar."

"Katherine…"

"I'm late for work," Elena said and hurried out the door.

No, she didn't like it when people called her a liar, especially when it was true. What was she thinking, running off and expecting to become this whole other person? She wasn't 'Katherine', she was Elena, and every time someone called her that, it felt like a piece of the real Elena died. Then she reminded herself that for all intents and purposes, Elena Gilbert _was_ dead. The real Elena Gilbert died years ago, in fact. She died the day she said yes to Kyle. 'Katherine' was who she was now. And 'Katherine' had no problem deceiving the people around her.

* * *

><p>Both Friday and Saturday meant busy nights at the Grill, and with Lexi still out sick, Elena was pulling double-duty. When she went to bed Saturday night, she relished in the fact that she would be able to sleep in the next day. Then she remembered Damon was supposed to teach her how to drive on Sunday, which was enough to ruin her sleep. She had successfully avoided him since their small row in the kitchen, but now she would be stuck with him all day.<p>

When she woke up on Sunday morning, she hoped Damon had forgotten about her, but when she made her way downstairs, she realized that was not the case.

"Mornin', sleepyhead," he smiled as she entered the kitchen. "Coffee?"

"Yes, please," Elena said, walking up to the counter and taking the cup from him.

"Did you forget we had a date?" Damon teased.

"If you're talking about the driving lesson, then no, I didn't."

"Good. So, finish your coffee and we'll hit the road."

"I'm gonna need more than coffee to start my day on," Elena objected.

"No worries. I packed a picnic. We'll have brunch after your first lesson."

When Elena got outside, Damon was waiting in the passenger seat of his car. "Come on, get in," he said, "the keys are in the ignition."

Elena hesitated, but got into the driver's seat.

"First things first, put your seatbelt on. Now…"

Damon really had teaching in his blood, and Elena found it easy to follow his instructions. As they slowly cruised along the country road leading away from the center of town, Elena felt more and more confident with driving. It didn't hurt that Damon was constantly encouraging her, telling her she was doing great, that she was a natural. As they approached a small crossing, Damon told her to turn the blinkers on and make a right. The right turn led them onto a small gravel road and Elena went even slower.

"Ok, you're coming up to a turning area, you can pull over riiiight there," he pointed to a spot which might have been a parking space if it had been marked as such. "Just let the car come to a stop, just like we practiced before we left… that's it… good job."

"Now what?" Elena turned to him when the engine died down.

"Now… we get to eat. Come on, let's go." Damon got out of the car and popped the trunk, getting out a blanket and picnic basket.

Elena looked around the gravel pitch. "Where?"

"I'll show you. Now, come on," Damon said, heading into the woods, following one of the trails.

* * *

><p>After what seemed like forever, they came upon a clearing with a waterfall as a backdrop.<p>

"Wow!" Elena said, admiring the beauty of the water crashing down and foaming at the bottom of the cliff.

"Yeah, pretty spectacular, huh? It's how Mystic Falls got its name, and why tourists still come here," Damon said and laid down the blanket. "There are actually several waterfalls around here, but this one's my favorite."

Elena sat down on the blanket, still mesmerized by the water. "So what makes it mystical?"

"Huh?"

"Mystic Falls. I see the waterfall, but what's mystic about it?"

"It's a legend," Damon said and sat down.

"Tell me about it," Elena said, curious.

"It is said that if you bring your true love here during a full moon, and make love, you will be forever blessed with good luck and healthy and prosperous children."

"Does it work?"

"There has been many children conceived here, but I haven't heard of anyone living happily ever after."

"Maybe it wasn't their true love they were with."

"Perhaps."

"Did you ever bring someone here? Under a full moon, I mean?"

"I haven't found true love yet. I doubt such a thing even exists."

"I would have thought… I mean, the way you spoke in class…"

"That I'm a hopeless romantic? Maybe so. But romance isn't always about happy endings. Some of the greatest love stories do not have what you would call happy endings. There's beauty in tragedy, as well, you know."

"How so?"

"We often mistake passion and lust for love, but those are selfish emotions. Selfishness does not leave room for love. Great writers tell us that time and time again. A character driven by selfishness can never find peace or love. Passion makes for a great romance story, but the moral is always – and always will be – that there is no happy ending for the wicked. Take Heathcliff, for example. His love for Catherine consumed them both, destroying anything and everyone that came in its path. The Phantom, in Gaston Leroux's novel, lets his infatuation with Christine consume him, making it impossible for her to choose him as he threatens all that she holds dear in exchange for her hand. Othello let his jealousy and his insecurities corrupt his love for Desdemona, made him see things that were not true and ultimately destroyed her and himself in the process."

"So you don't believe in true love?"

"I believe that if two people can be completely honest with each other and love each other for what they truly are, then yes, I believe that is true love."

"You said at the bar that you always tell the truth. Was that true?"

"Yes. At least I try to. I have ever since… ever since I saw what terrible harm lies can do."

"When was that?"

"I was about ten, I think, when my father left. He had lied to my mother for years, cheated on her with countless women. When she finally confronted him about it, he lied some more, told her she was being ridiculous and that he couldn't stand to stay with a woman who didn't trust him. I watched it eat away at her – his lies. When she died, she was void of emotion. He stole that from her."

"And that's why you hate lies so much."

"That's part of the reason, yes."

"Is there another?"

"I told you I have a brother, right?"

"Yes, you did."

"Well… we haven't spoken in years. There was this girl… she was incredible. Vibrant, passionate, beautiful. But she was also selfish and ruthless. She was the kind of girl who went after what she wanted – and didn't stop until she got it. Well, as it turned out, she wanted _me_ – and my brother. I was away at college – they didn't have the courses I wanted to take in Mystic Falls at the time - but I would come home on weekends and she would come to the boarding house to stay with me. She had it all so perfectly worked out. My brother was still in high school, and he was on the football team. They had away-games on weekends. She would spend week nights with him, and the weekends with me."

"And Zach never noticed?"

"My brother would go to her house. As far as Zach knew, she was my girlfriend who visited on weekends."

"How did you figure it out?"

"Well, one weekend, while she was at the house, my brother got injured in one of his games and came home early. Imagine all of our surprise when he saw us having breakfast together."

"What did you do?"

"I told her I never wanted to see her again and I went back to college and stopped coming home on weekends. My brother finished high school and moved away."

"But if neither of you knew…"

"Why haven't I talked to my brother in all these years? Well, because he forgave her. He stayed with her even after he found out."

"They're still together?"

"No, she ended it. She met some guy and took off."

"Oh." Elena fiddled with a grass straw, contemplating what he had just told her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bum you out. It's a beautiful day, we should enjoy it. Here," he opened the lid on the picnic basket and took out a number of different sandwiches, "go ahead."

Elena ate without much appetite. The flavors would usually have pleased her palate, but it all felt bland in comparison with the tangy taste of guilt in her mouth.

Damon noticed her vacant expression. "You ok?"

Elena snapped out of her musings and looked up at him. "You were right before… I _was_ lying. And I hate it."

"Ok…"

"I want to be honest with you, especially since you've been so open with me, but there are things I just can't talk about."

"That's fine. You don't owe me anything."

"If… if I tell you a part of the story… can I trust you not to say anything? To anyone?"

"I won't tell anyone, I promise. But you don't have to…"

"The truth is, I don't know for how long I can keep this bottled up inside before I explode. I… I need to tell someone."

"Your secret's safe with me. If it will help you, I'd be honored to be that someone."

Elena took a deep breath, bracing herself. "Ok, here goes… I met… this guy… when I was a senior in high school. He was older than me, a college guy. Everything about him was exciting. I was the envy of all my girlfriends. He was strong, confident, determined. He was so protective of me, so attentive. When I graduated, he asked me to move in with him. I was so in love with him, I would have done anything he asked just so I could be with him. I wanted to start college right after high school, but he had just graduated and wanted to travel for a year before he went into the family business. College could wait another year, right? So I went with him. We were in Paris when he asked me to marry him. I said yes. This gorgeous, successful, strong man wanted to marry _me_. I couldn't believe my luck. When we got back, we moved into this gorgeous beach house. In the time I'd been gone, all of my old friends had moved away. He didn't get along with my family, and after awhile, I just…"

"He isolated you from them," Damon said.

"Yes. I tried making new friends, but he said he wanted me all to himself. I thought it was romantic, at first. I started talking about going back to college or getting a job, just because I was bored, sitting alone in that house all day. He… wouldn't hear of it. No wife of his should ever have to work, and colleges are full of frat guys and parties, and it wasn't an appropriate environment for someone of my social standing. I told him he was being ridiculous. That was the first time he hit me. I should have walked out the door that very same day. But I didn't. I was… shocked, I guess. I wasn't someone whose husband hit her. That wasn't me. So when he came back with flowers and apologized, I was more than happy to tell myself that it had all been a misunderstanding. He never meant to hurt me. He was under a lot of pressure at work and he was a passionate man, he got caught up in the moment. It was one of those things that drew me to him in the first place, how protective he was, how he would beat up any guy who even looked at me the wrong way. I was his… and I saw that possessiveness as something positive. He loved me so much he just couldn't bear the thought of another man touching me."

Damon nodded in understanding. When he threatened Tyler Lockwood at the bar, she saw her husband. Damon waited patiently for her to go on.

"I spent years with him – too many – and his control over me became greater with each passing day. I didn't have friends. I would meet people, of course, business associates or potential clients and their wives at parties. My sole job was to keep up appearances, to sell my husband's image as a successful business man and loving husband. On the surface, we were the perfect couple. Our house was spotless. It had to be. I became an expert at stain removal. Do you know how hard it is to get blood out of a carpet? Or off the wall? I could go into the crime scene cleanup business for all the experience I've had." Elena shook her head. It all sounded so surreal. Like a lifetime ago.

"I never knew what mood he would be in when he came home at night. Even if he was in a good mood, that could all change in an instant. The 'sorry, honey, I have a headache because you slammed my head into the wall' excuse wasn't exactly an option." Elena took a bite out of her sandwich and a sip of water out of the bottle.

"I stayed with him because I was afraid. I tried to leave once, and he made sure I wouldn't make that mistake again. He spread the word to some of his friends that I was suffering from depression and that the medication I was on was causing hallucinations and paranoia. He painted himself out to be the doting husband who struggled with supporting his neurotic wife in every way possible. He made me a promise that if I ever tried to leave him, he would have my family killed. When… " No, she had promised to tell the truth. She couldn't say that her family died in a fire. Thankfully, she didn't have to. Damon drew his own conclusions.

"When you lost your family, he didn't have any leverage left," he concluded, "so you were free."

Elena simply took another bite of her sandwich, hoping he wasn't expecting a confirmation.

"I am so sorry, Katherine," Damon said, his voice and eyes filled with compassion and sincerity.

Elena blinked away tears. "So now you know," she shrugged. "But please, promise me you won't breathe a word of this to anyone. I don't want people to look at me with pity. I just want to move on with my life – and actually live it."

"I promise."

"Thank you. And I'm sorry I unloaded all this on you, I just…"

"I'm glad you did."

"I just… I don't want you to treat me differently. I don't want you to feel like you need to walk on egg shells around me. I actually enjoy our banter. Even when we argue, I'm not afraid of you, not really. I'm not afraid to get into an argument with you. Do you know how huge that is for me? I could never tease my husband, I could never tell him to leave me alone. I was too afraid. I don't want to lose that, as crazy as it sounds. If you get frustrated with me, then let me know. I won't break. I might even be stronger for it."

"Let me get this straight – you _want_ me to yell at you?"

"No, I want you to not hold back with me."

"So… I can be angry with you… I can tell you you're being stubborn or whatever…" Damon pretended to contemplate something, idly tugging on a grass straw. "Can I tell you that I think you're amazing?" he looked up at her, his blue eyes meeting her doe brown ones.

"I…"

"Can I tell you I admire your strength and your wit?" he inched closer.

"I…"

"Can I tell you… I think I'm falling in love with you?" he whispered in her ear, his breath a soft caress on her skin.

Elena flew off the blanket. "You don't even know me!"

"Katherine, I didn't…" Damon scrambled to his feet.

"Forget it," she said, holding up a hand. "We should be getting back."

"Ok," Damon agreed, gathering their things and following her back to the car.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: I didn't go into details on the actual driving lesson, because to tell the truth, I don't know how to drive. My one and only driving lesson literally consisted of my dad telling me "there's the clutch, there's the gas, there's the brake, here are the keys" – I am so not even kidding... In his defense, I _did_ know how to drive a tractor, and I didn't have to drive on the road. _


	6. Loose Tongues

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p>ELENA'S ESCAPE<p>

~ Loose Tongues ~

* * *

><p>"So, for the next three weeks, we'll be immersing ourselves in the romance genre", Damon announced to the class. Elena couldn't help but notice the excited giggling coming from the girls behind her. She smiled. Yes, Damon was gorgeous and she couldn't blame the girls for swooning. He caught her smile and winked at her, clearly mistaking it for something else than amusement.<p>

"Many medieval romances recount the marvellous adventures of a chivalrous, heroic knight, often of super-human ability, who, abiding chivalry's strict codes of honour and demeanour, goes on a quest, and fights and defeats monsters and giants, thereby winning favour with a lady. The story of the medieval romance focuses not upon love and sentiment, but upon adventure." Damon recited. "This describes an early form of romance as a genre. Does anyone have an example of a story that meets these criterias?"

After class, Damon was surrounded by female students, giggling and talking all at once. Elena could catch a question here and there, and Damon tried to patiently answer their queries. Elena cleared the material and went into the office that Damon had been temporarily assigned. The shelves in the room were lined with books on literary criticism and history, as well as anthologies with short stories, poems and plays. Elena ran her index finger along the spines, reading the different titles.

"See anything you like?" Damon's velvety voice came from the doorway, where he was lounging against the doorpost with his arms crossed and an amused look on his face.

"You're back already? I thought for sure your groupies would have kept you occupied for much longer," Elena teased.

"Jealous?"

"Yeah… you got me… I've always wanted to be surrounded by giggling girls," Elena mocked.

"You said you liked reading," Damon said, walking over to the bookcase, "why don't you borrow something?"

"From here?"

"Sure, why not?"

"It's not a library, Damon."

"No, but I trust you."

"Any suggestions, professor?"

"Well… on Wednesday we're going over the 'damsel in distress' stereotype. So I suggest you read… this," he said, pulling out a book and handing it over.

"European fairy tales and Greek mythology?"

"Fairy tales aren't just for children, you know."

"Ok… thanks."

"You're welcome. So what did you think about class today?"

"Does it matter? I mean, you heard those girls, right? They love you."

"But I'm asking _you_."

"Come on, stop fishing for compliments. You know you're a good teacher."

"But there's always room for improvement. And I appreciate constructive criticism."

"I'm not your girl. I don't have any critique to give. In case you've forgotten, I haven't gone to college."

"I'm not asking for a professional opinion, I'm asking you as a student – what would _you_ like to learn?"

"I'm not your student."

"You might as well be."

"How so?"

"You act like you're beneath these students, and you're not. It's all about commitment. If you wanted, you could go to college."

"No, I couldn't."

"Why not? You have a high school diploma, right?"

Yeah, in another name. "I don't have the grades."

"You could go to summer school. Night class."

"I can't afford it."

"There are scholarships you can apply for. I have friends who put themselves through college working double jobs. If you want something, you just have to go get it."

"Thank you for the book, Damon," Elena said, grabbing her purse and heading out.

"What? What did I say?" Damon asked, throwing his hands up, but Elena was already gone.

* * *

><p>When Damon came home, Elena was sitting in the parlor, reading. She looked up when he entered, but immediately turned her attention back to her book. Damon desperately wanted to confront her, but despite what she had asked him to do whenever he was frustrated with her, he couldn't. He didn't want to fight with her.<p>

"How do you like it so far?" he said casually, pouring himself a drink and sitting down opposite her.

"I've read Rapunzel, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, and I do see the theme you talked about. I grew up reading these stories, or, my mom read them to me, and I identified with those girls. I suppose every little girl does."

"And now?"

"I don't want to be the damsel in distress. I don't want to sit around and wait for my prince to come and rescue me. I don't want someone else to fix my life for me."

"And me pushing you about college is making you feel like I'm trying to run your life?"

"How insightful of you, professor Salvatore."

"I have my moments," Damon shrugged, earning himself a chuckle from Elena. "Did we actually come to an understanding without yelling at each other?" he said, feigning being impressed.

"Don't get too used to it," Elena retorted but shot him a small smile.

* * *

><p>"Hey! How'd it go this weekend?" Lexi asked as Elena walked into the break room before her shift.<p>

"Hi. Um… it was… busy. But I think I did ok."

"Ok? Matt said you're the best waitress he's seen since… well, me," Lexi chuckled. "Actually, I was curious how your driving lesson with Damon went…"

"Oh. Well, good, I guess."

"Where'd you go? Did you drive somewhere?"

"Yeah, he showed me the falls."

"Oh, really?" Lexi raised an eyebrow, a smile spreading across her face.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Oh, no reason," Lexi shrugged but didn't lose the smile.

"What?" Elena chuckled.

"We should get out there. Our shift's starting."

"Lexi…"

"Come on, Kat," Lexi said and practically bounced out of the break room.

Elena shook her head and followed Lexi out into the restaurant.

* * *

><p>"You know, we should have a girl's night," Caroline said as Elena brought her her lunch order.<p>

"A girl's night?"

"Yeah, like rent a bunch of movies, eat a ton of popcorn, paint each other's nails, you know, just hang out."

"I guess… yeah, it sounds like fun."

"Great! Matt's going out of town for the weekend with Damon and Lee; they're meeting up with some of Damon's old college buddies. We could have a sleepover!"

"Ok… sure. So… what are they going to do?"

"Ugh, don't ask. Seeing as how Damon's involved, I'm sure they're going to some casino or strip club. I really don't want to know."

"And you're ok with Matt going?"

"Why not? I trust him completely."

"So… what time should I stop by?"

"Well, you and Lexi don't have the late shift this weekend, right?"

"No, we get off around six."

"Perfect. You guys can come right over. Ooh, we could do facials," Caroline beamed with excitement.

* * *

><p>"So… I hear you're hanging out with Caroline this weekend," Damon said as they were putting the dishes away after Friday night dinner.<p>

"So… I hear you're going to a strip club with Matt," Elena said as she handed him a plate to put in the dishwasher.

"Where'd you hear _that_?"

"Caroline," they said in unison.

"Well, aren't you?" Elena said casually.

"Now, why would I want to go someplace where women take their clothes off for money?"

"No, I guess it's pretty stupid to pay for it when your students are more than willing to throw theirs off for free," Elena said, only half-joking.

"I take it this bothers you? The fact that I'm this total chick magnet?" he smirked.

"Chick magnet? Seriously? How old is that expression, anyways?"

"Nice try dodging my question," Damon noted.

"No, it doesn't bother me. Why would it?" Elena said, distant.

"You tell me," Damon shrugged.

"It doesn't." Elena shrugged and got a bottle of water from the fridge.

"For the record…" Damon came up behind her. He wasn't touching her, but Elena could feel his body heat. "... I have no interest in watching strangers take their clothes off."

Elena suddenly felt her mouth go dry at the sound of his velvety voice in her ear and his hot breath on her neck.

"We're going camping," he said in a light tone, moving away from her. "All very manly," he quipped as he left the kitchen.

* * *

><p>"Yay! You're here!" Caroline was practically jumping up and down and the new arrivals exchanged looks.<p>

"Um… yeah, Caroline… we said we would come," Lexi said, walking in the door.

Caroline wrapped her arms around both girls and squealed, "Oh, we're gonna have so much fun!"

"_Someone_ started the party early," Lexi commented under her breath.

"Who wants shots?" Caroline beamed, holding out two glasses.

"Oh, what the hell," Lexi rolled her eyes and tossed back a shot.

Elena hesitated, but with both girls looking at her expectantly, she raised her glass and downed the drink.

"Kat, I want you to meet my best friend, Bonnie," Caroline said, dragging Elena with her to the living room.

A young woman rose from the couch and extended her hand. She had almond-shaped green eyes that complemented her dark complexion and her dark curly hair framed her face. Elena wondered briefly if there was one single person in this town that didn't look like they stepped right out of a television show.

"Hi," Bonnie said, "it's nice to meet you. Caroline's told me all about you."

"Which wasn't much, to be frank," Caroline pouted. "We'll have to remedy that tonight."

Elena did _not_ like the sound of that.

The four girls ordered pizza for dinner and then Caroline brought out her beauty box. It was a really big box.

* * *

><p>As Elena looked at herself in the mirror, all covered in green goo, she realized this was the first time since she was in high school that she truly felt like a girl. She was genuinely enjoying herself, not having to worry about getting through the day, not walking around with a grey cloud over her head.<p>

"We should play a game," Caroline said.

"Like what?" Bonnie asked.

"Something to help us get to know each other."

"We already know each other, Caroline," Lexi said.

"Not Kat," Caroline objected.

"Oh, no… I'm not that interesting," Elena objected.

"We could play Never Have I Ever!" Caroline exclaimed, getting up to get a bottle of vodka.

"She always does this," Lexi rolled her eyes. "Before Matt, her passion for games was legendary among the guys."

"Let's hope she settles for the PG-version tonight," Bonnie said.

"I'm just happy she didn't say Truth or Dare," Lexi said, and whispered to Elena, "You do _not _want to do her dares."

After several rounds, the girls were giggling like crazy. When it was Bonnie's turn, she thought for a moment, then said, "Never have I ever… slept with Damon Salvatore." Elena's eyes widened as both Lexi and Caroline took a drink.

"Your turn," Caroline said to Elena.

"Um… never have I ever… shoplifted," Elena shrugged, running out of ideas. Caroline shrugged and tossed back a shot. After a glare from Caroline, so did Bonnie.

"What? You are such little delinquents," Lexi laughed.

"We were like eight… this new beauty store had just opened and the shop was packed. We were looking at the lip glosses and, knowing our parents would never let us buy them, we pocketed them," Caroline said.

"But your mom's the sheriff!" Lexi gawked.

"And you _know_ how well we get along," Caroline rolled her eyes.

"You weren't caught?" Elena asked.

"Sure we were. Mom and Mrs. Bennett made us go back to the store, pay for the lip glosses out of our allowance, _and_ return them. She said that was our first lesson in tort law."

"Never have I ever…" Caroline said, "gotten myself arrested."

Lexi took a drink. "I was dating this 'bad boy', and one night, he comes to pick me up in a stolen car. So, we're driving and this police car sees us and turns on the sirens, and my boyfriend floors it. They eventually catch up to us, and I spend a night in jail."

"Please tell me you dumped him," Bonnie said, appalled.

"Actually…"

"No! Lee?" Caroline gawked.

"He's reformed," Lexi shrugged and giggled.

The girls kept to the topic of bad boys and Elena got increasingly nervous. She tried to change the subject when it's her turn, but failed. The next time it was Caroline's turn, she brought up the topic Elena's dreaded most.

"Never have I ever… been abused."

Elena didn't know what to do. She didn't owe these girls anything, but she just felt she needed to get out of there. Bathroom break. Yeah, that was plausible, right? She got her opportunity to sneak away while Lexi questioned Caroline why she would bring up such a depressing topic. Elena grabbed her purse on her way to the bathroom and when she had locked the door behind her, she got out her cell phone.

"Did you tell her?" she asked, tears welling up.

"Kat? Hang on…" Damon said, getting up from the camp fire and moving out of earshot. "What's wrong?"

"Caroline just asked me… I mean, she didn't _ask_, but… did you tell her what I told you about my husband?"

"No, of course not."

"Well, did you tell Matt?"

"No. I promised you I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Then why would she say that?"

"Kat, listen to me… calm down, ok? Now tell me what happened to get you this upset."

"We were playing a game…"

"Oh, no, let me guess… Caroline's idea?"

"Yeah."

"Which one?"

"Never have I ever."

"So what did she say?"

"She said she had never been abused."

Damon let out a small growl. "She's fishing. She's still hung up on those bruises."

"So what do I do?"

"It's a game, Kat. You don't have to tell them anything."

"I know, but…"

"It hurts you to lie, to keep things from people you view as friends," he said softly, understanding. "Listen, it's up to you. But know this – you have _nothing_ to be ashamed of."

Elena took a deep breath. "I should get back out there, right?"

"You're hiding in the bathroom?"

"Yeah."

"How many shots has Caroline had tonight?"

"I couldn't even begin to tell you."

"Well, good thing that house has two bathrooms, or you'd be in a lot of trouble. As it is now, I doubt she even notices you're gone."

"So… what have you been up to?" Elena said, sinking down to the floor, her head resting against the door.

"Fishing."

"You fish?"

"Why do you sound so surprised?"

"I don't know… I just… didn't picture you as someone who fishes – for anything other than compliments, that is."

"Ouch."

"But seriously, I don't see it. You and your leather jacket just don't seem to go with the outdoors."

"My buddy Ric is visiting, he's a sucker for plaid. The things we do for our friends, right?"

"I don't believe you. I'm gonna need proof."

"I'll snap a picture."

"Promise?"

"Kat! What are you doing in there? Come on, Caroline's hogging the other bathroom, and I need to pee," Lexi whined from outside the door.

"Gotta go," Elena whispered.

"Call me later?"

"Now, why would I do that?"

"Because you can't get enough of me."

"You're drunk," Elena giggled.

"Not as drunk as you are," Damon teased.

"Kat!"

"Gotta go," Elena said again and hung up before Damon could make another remark.

"Finally!" Lexi said as Elena opened the door and brushed past her.

* * *

><p>"So, who were you talking to in the bathroom?" Lexi said to Elena when they had gone to bed. Caroline and Bonnie were in Caroline's bedroom and Lexi and Elena shared the guest room.<p>

"What?"

"Don't act so innocent. You were sneaking off to talk to some guy, right?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Elena said, trying to sound oblivious, but she couldn't keep herself from smiling.

"Come on… who's the guy?"

"There's no guy."

"It's Damon, isn't it? You're totally into him."

"No!"

"Riiight," Lexi laughed. "You've got it bad…"

"I… there's nothing going on between us."

"Would you like there to be?"

"No. No, I… I'm not ready to dive into the whole dating scene."

"For the record… I haven't seen Damon this smitten before."

"Smitten?"

"You said he took you out to the falls?"

"Yeah… but it's not like it was a moonlit night."

"You know the last time he brought someone there?"

"No."

"His ex. The same weekend he found out she was sleeping with his brother. After he dumped her, he came to the Grill, drank himself into a stupor, and I let him crash on my couch. The next morning, before he left town, he said he would never bring another girl out to the falls ever again, that place would be forever tainted by her and her betrayal. The fact that he brought _you_ there – it means something."

Elena went to sleep that night not being able to get thoughts of Damon out of her head.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Literary definitions courtesy of Wikipedia._


	7. Lying Lips

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p>ELENA'S ESCAPE<p>

~ Lying Lips ~

* * *

><p>Elena woke up with a splitting headache. She turned over to see that Lexi was still fast asleep. In search of an aspirin to ease her pain, Elena slipped out of bed and stumbled towards the hallway bathroom.<p>

"Cute PJ's," a voice said and Elena spun around, suddenly wide awake. Damon was sitting in the living room with a cup of coffee and smirking at her.

"Damon? What are you doing here?" Elena said, entering the living room. When she did, the two men on the couch with their backs against her turned around.

"Hi, Kat," Matt said. "We came back early, _someone_ thought it'd be a good idea to bring you girls breakfast. I told him you'd all be asleep and hung over," Matt rolled his eyes and winked.

"Hi, I'm Lee, by the way," the dark-haired, broad-shouldered man said, extending his hand in greeting.

Elena took it and smiled. "I'm Kat. You must be Lexi's boyfriend."

"The one and only," Lexi said, walking up to the couch and planting a kiss on him. "Hi, babe."

"Hey."

"So, what'd you bring? I hope you got coffee…"

"Yup. Plenty of it."

"Excellent. And…?"

"Breakfast tacos."

"Yay. You know me so well," Lexi purred and climbed into Lee's lap.

"Ok, now you're making _me_ queasy," Damon complained and got up from the armchair he had been lounging on.

Elena suddenly remembered she got out of bed to find aspirin, and she ducked into the bathroom. When she emerged moments later, Damon was waiting for her with a cup of coffee. "Here," he said, handing her the mug,"I thought you might need it."

"Thanks."

"So…" Damon said as they walked to the kitchen. "Did you sleep well?"

Elena felt herself flush. She _had_ slept well, but she had also had dreams. A lot. None of which she wanted Damon to know the details of.

"Um… perfect. How 'bout you?"

"Oh, the sounds of nature are really soothing. Unfortunately, my buddy Ric's snoring is not. I had a lot of time to think."

"Oh? Must be refreshing," Elena mocked.

"Cute."

"So… during all this thinking, you decided you should come back early to bring us breakfast?"

"Who says it was _my_ idea?" Damon said, feigning innocence.

"Oh, please. Matt was kinda obvious."

"How do you know he wasn't talking about Lee? You saw how gross he and Lexi are."

"Maybe you're right," Elena shrugged. "After all, why would _you_ have any reason to come over here?"

"Oh, I can think of one or two," Damon said, taking her in with his eyes. Elena's hair was mussed and she was wearing grey silk pajama pants and a black camisole.

"So did you catch anything?" Elena asked lightly, attempting to break the tension that had arisen between them.

"Huh?"

"You went fishing, right? Did you catch any fish?" Elena clarified.

"Nope. But to tell you the truth, I wasn't trying that hard."

"Oh?"

"Fishing is Ric's favorite pastime. Not mine."

"What's yours, then?"

"Not anything I can do with my buddies," Damon wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Ugh! Besides _that_?"

"How did _you_ know what I was talking about? Sounds like you're the one with a dirty mind, Kat," Damon teased. "I could have been talking about knitting, for all you know."

"Were you?"

"No. My favorite pastime – besides _that_," he winked, "- is reading. Give me a good book, a comfy spot and a bottle of Scotch and I'm golden."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised, given that you teach literature," Elena mused. "So your perfect day would include you reading a book and drinking…"

"Correction – a perfect day – or evening – would include me reading to a woman laying beside me after we've engaged in my _other_ favorite pastime."

Elena stood dumbstruck for a split second, then she spoke. "Nope. Don't see it," she said casually, walking away.

"I _could_ just show you…" Damon said in a soft, seductive voice, making Elena pause in the doorway. She wasn't going to pretend she heard that. She wasn't. Despite herself, Elena started to turn around when Caroline showed up.

"Oops, did I interrupt something?" she giggled, noticing Elena's rosy cheeks.

"No. I was actually just going to use your shower, if you don't mind?" Elena said to Caroline, slipping past her.

"No, of course, go right ahead," Caroline said.

"Actually, now that you mention it, I could use a shower as well…" Damon said in a loud enough voice for Elena to hear him even as she closed the door to the bathroom.

"Well, there's no arguing _that_," Caroline made a face, "but _you_ have a shower at your own house," she said, poking him in the chest.

"You're such a buzzkill, Barbie," Damon complained. "Ooh – Buzzkill Barbie… that could be like your stage name or something – you know, if you should ever grow some talent," Damon mocked.

"So… what's going on with the two of you?" Caroline prodded.

"And here I thought us guys were the only ones on a fishing expedition… It's none of your business, Blondie."

"Oh, come on," Caroline whined.

"There's nothing to tell," Damon shrugged.

"Riiight… well, you didn't see her face last night when Lexi and I admitted to hooking up with you," Caroline teased.

"You said what?"

"We were playing a game," Caroline shrugged.

"Yeah, I heard," Damon muttered under his breath.

"What? From who?" Clearly, Caroline's ears could pick up any frequency when she was curious.

"Huh?" Damon acted as if he hadn't said a word.

"I knew it! I knew Kat snuck off somewhere during our game. She called you, didn't she?" Caroline squealed, practically jumping from the excitement.

"Chill, Barbie," Damon said, "you're gonna fry your brain if you keep this up – or maybe it's too late for that…"

"Come on, Damon, I'm happy for you. Kat's great. _She_ could do better, though."

"Nice," Damon rolled his eyes.

"No, but seriously, Damon. Be good to her. She won't tell me anything, but I get the feeling she's been through a lot – not just losing her family in a fire."

"That's plenty," Damon said.

"Sure, but I saw…"

"Caroline, that's enough," Damon snapped.

Caroline took a step back, startled at the sudden harshness in Damon's voice. "What'd I say?" she whimpered.

"You like to gossip, Caroline. Everyone knows it, it's part of who you are. But when you start spreading rumors – talking about things you know nothing about – people get hurt. I don't want to see Kat hurt. Got it?"

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Matt walked in and slipped his arm over Caroline's shoulders, picking up on the tension in the room.

"Nothing. We were just getting a few things settled, weren't we, Caroline?" Damon said, his jaw set.

"Yes," Caroline nodded and smiled up at Matt. "We're good."

"I'm gonna head out," Damon said. "Tell Kat to call me if she wants me to pick her up."

"Sure," Matt agreed, still a little confused as to what was going on. "See you later, man." When the door closed behind Damon, Matt turned to Caroline. "So you wanna tell me what _really_ happened?"

"Ugh, you're such a gossip, Matt," Caroline rolled her eyes and headed for the other bathroom.

* * *

><p>"Hi, Zach," Elena greeted her landlord – if that was the correct term – when she returned to the boarding house late Sunday afternoon. "How was your weekend?"<p>

"Too quiet, I'm afraid," Zach sighed.

"No boarders?"

"Nope. Guess tourist season hasn't really kicked in yet," he shrugged.

"You won't have to close, right? If business doesn't pick up, I mean?"

"Don't worry, Kat. You'll have a home here as long as you like. Besides, I only keep the business going because I enjoy having people around. Money's not an issue."

"Oh," was all Elena could think of to say. It made sense, though, if the family had money. Damon was truly passionate about his job, she never got the impression that he did it for the money.

"But we'll be getting some company next Monday, though," Zach said. "One of Damon's old college friends is bringing his girlfriend to Mystic Falls."

"That's nice."

"Yeah, apparently he was here for the weekend and Damon suggested he bring the girl he kept talking about back here. They're flying in from LA, so I'll be picking them up from the airport on Monday night. I was thinking we could all have dinner together. Damon's cooking."

"Oh, ok," Elena said, absent-minded. She was too distracted by the two letters to absorb any information past that point. L. A. Too close for comfort. It _would_ be highly unlikely that they knew her, but life had a cruel sense of humor sometimes.

* * *

><p>On her way to her room, Elena passed by Damon's. The door was open and she could see him on the bed, reading. She paused in the hallway, debating whether or not she should talk to him. Their conversation at Caroline's had made her painfully aware of her own feelings, and she refused to act on them. It was bad enough that Damon was drop dead gorgeous, smart and kind, he just had to flirt with her as well. She didn't know for how long she would be able to resist him. But she had to. She had to distance himself from him, he deserved better. He deserved someone who would be completely honest with him. And she couldn't be. Not yet. Not until enough time had passed. She only left her husband a few weeks ago, for crying out loud. How could she even be considering the possibility of getting involved with someone new?<p>

Damon's velvety voice snapped Elena out of her musings. "Did you stop by for a demonstration?"

"Excuse me?"

He gestured to the bed and the book in his hand.

"Actually," Elena cleared her throat and took a step inside the room. "I wanted to discuss something with you."

"Oh?" he said, propping himself up against the headboard, into a sitting – as opposed to lounging – position.

"I wanted to ask you…" Elena started, but got distracted by his piercing gaze and found herself at a loss for words, "I wanted you… You need to stop with your flirty little comments and that eye-thing that you do." There. She said it.

"Why?" he said, getting off the bed and approaching her.

His movements reminded Elena of a panther's, stalking its prey, and she felt her mouth go dry.

"Am I getting to you?" he said in a husky voice, all the while moving closer. "Do you find yourself drawn to me?" he whispered in her ear and she shivered at his proximity.

"No," she choked out.

"Liar."

"I'm serious, Damon, you need to stop," Elena breathed.

"Tell me why and I will."

"Because I don't want you to."

"You don't want me to – what?"

"I don't want you to stop," she admitted. What was she thinking? What happened to her steely resolve? What happened to her clear head? Oh, right, it got lost in the pools of his eyes, muddled by the smell of his cologne and surrendered to the feel of his touch. As his hand caressed her cheek, Elena felt shockwaves of electricity reverberate throughout her body. As his lips brushed hers, those sparks ignited a raging fire within, and she instinctively returned his kiss with a hunger she hadn't experienced before. She wanted him. Desperately.

As he felt her respond, and sensed her passion, Damon took control, guiding her over to the bed, not once breaking contact.

Elena felt genuinely happy as her head sunk into the soft pillows and Damon moved to plant kisses on her neck.

"You taste so good, Kat," he whispered against her skin.

No! Elena pushed him off her and bolted out of the room.

"Kat!" he called after her, utterly confused as to what just happened.

Elena slammed her bedroom door shut behind her and sunk to the floor, her face in her hands. Hearing her fake name from his lips made everything so perfectly clear. She was living a lie. How could she ever expect to move on if she couldn't be herself around the people she cared about? For how long could she continue to lie to Damon?


	8. Reunion

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: I just wanted to say thank you for all the kind reviews. I am terrible at replying to them, but I read and appreciate each and every one. : )_

* * *

><p>ELENA'S ESCAPE<p>

~ Reunion ~

* * *

><p>Elena did her best to avoid Damon the following week, which was not an easy task given that she worked with him. Fortunately for her, Damon clearly thought <em>he<em> had done something wrong, that he had pushed her too far and he tried to give her space. Elena felt relieved at the fact that he didn't push her, but she also felt guilty.

"So what's going on with you and Damon?" Lexi asked as they were finishing their shift at the Grill on Monday night. Elena usually only worked at the college on Mondays, but one of the waitresses called in sick and Elena agreed to take the afternoon shift.

"What do you mean?"

"That weekend at Caroline's, he couldn't wait to see you and you definitely seemed to enjoy his attention. This past week, he's only been at the bar when you _haven't_ been working. Did something happen?"

Elena debated whether she should confide in Lexi. Sure, she wasn't as gossipy as Caroline – who remarkably seemed to have toned down her curious streak since last weekend – but Elena couldn't be sure. Still, she needed to talk to someone who knew Damon.

"Promise you won't tell anyone?"

"Of course."

"Well, we… I… we sorta kissed."

"Sorta?"

"Ok, we _really_ kissed, and it got… kinda intense. Too intense. It's just too soon, you know? I don't even know him that well and I'm not the type of girl to rush into things. And now… I've been avoiding him, because I'm ashamed, and he's been keeping his distance, too."

"He's giving you space."

"Yeah. Only… maybe he's over me. I mean, I can't expect him to wait around for me to be ready, you know."

"Trust me – he's far from over you. You haven't seen him this past week. He's hurting. He probably thinks he did something wrong and he's beating himself up about it. You should just be honest with him. Tell him why you've been avoiding him and maybe you guys can work something out. If not, at least you'll have closure."

Elena thanked Lexi for the advice and headed back to the boarding house with a mission: tell Damon the truth. Starting with her real name.

* * *

><p>As Elena entered the boarding house, she caught a whiff of something delicious. She followed the alluring scent to the kitchen, where Damon stood by the stove, his back turned, and was stirring a sauce of some kind.<p>

"That smells delicious," Elena said with genuine appreciation.

Damon turned slightly, looking over his shoulder. "Wanna help?" he smiled.

"Sure, but I'm a lousy cook," Elena warned him, walking up to the sink to wash her hands.

"That only leaves room for improvement," Damon shrugged and smiled.

"So what's the occasion?" Elena said as she walked up to the stove.

"My buddy Ric is bringing his new girlfriend to Mystic Falls. They've only been dating for a few weeks, but apparently it's a 'whirlwind romance'", he air-quoted dramatically.

Elena's laugh got stuck in her throat. For a brief moment she had managed to push the thought of the visitors from LA from her mind. She had been so preoccupied with thoughts of Damon that she forgot they were coming tonight. She had to get out of here. The small chance they might know her was too big a risk. Kyle could _never_ learn of her whereabouts.

"I should go," Elena said abruptly.

"What? Why?"

"I… forgot… I…"

"Hey, we're back!" Zach called out, startling Elena.

There was no escape. She was trapped in the kitchen. When a sandy-haired, rugged-looking man entered, though, Elena let out a sigh of relief. She had never seen him before.

He and Damon heartily embraced and when they pulled apart, Damon gestured to Elena. "Kat, I want you to meet Ric, my old college buddy."

"Nice to meet you," Elena said politely, extending her hand.

"This is Kat?" he said with a glance at Damon as he shook her hand. "Your description didn't do her justice, man."

Elena frowned, puzzled. Had Damon been talking about her?

"I'm sorry, it's just… never mind. Nice to meet you, Kat," Ric smiled.

"So where's this girl of yours, Ric? You know, the one you wouldn't shut up about?" Damon asked.

"Oh, sorry, she got talking to Zach, she's in the parlor."

"Well, we better rescue her, then. Let's hope he didn't start in on the 19th century bookcases…" Damon joked. "You coming, Kat?" he turned to her as they were heading out of the kitchen.

Elena mulled it over. Since she didn't know Ric, why would she know his girlfriend? "Yeah, ok."

As they entered the parlor, they could see Zach talking to a strawberry blonde, their backs turned. He was gesturing to a number of paintings and the blonde was nodding politely.

"Ric should have warned you about Zach," Damon said as he and Ric entered the parlor. "He seems to be the quiet type, but when you get him started he'll talk your ear off."

The woman turned around at the sound of Damon's voice and as he kissed her hand, she smiled at him. Then her eyes found Elena, hovering in the doorway, and her hand flew to her mouth.

Damon frowned at the shocked expression on their guest's face and followed her gaze over to Elena, who looked pale as a ghost. "Uh… do you two… know each other?"

The woman caught herself and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, I just… your friend looks a lot like an old school friend of mine. I'm sorry, how rude of me. I'm Jenna," the blonde said politely to Damon and Elena, who remained in the doorway. "Nice to meet you…?"

"Damon. This is our boarder, Kat," he gestured to Elena, who had now stepped into the parlor. The women shook hands. "If you'll excuse me, I have to check on dinner," Damon said and with a final hesitant glance, left them.

Ric and Zach had engaged in a vivid conversation on whether or not carving was the preferred method when crafting bookcases in the 19th century.

"Jenna, would you like to see the rest of the house?" Elena said, loud enough for the men to overhear. However, they were engulfed in their debate and took no notice as the two women disappeared.

* * *

><p>As soon as they were safe upstairs, and out of earshot, the women embraced, tears streaming. "I can't believe you're here! I never thought I'd see you again!" Jenna exclaimed, trying to keep her voice down.<p>

"Me neither. I've missed you so much!"

"We have so much to talk about. Do you live here?"

"Come on, I'll show you my room," Elena said and took Jenna by the hand.

"Wow, it's gorgeous," Jenna said as she took in the room. "So…"

"Peaceful?" Elena suggested. "Yeah, I love it."

"So tell me everything. How'd you end up here?" Jenna said, jumping onto the bed and crossing her legs.

"I got off the bus. When it pulled into this little town I decided to try it. I got a job and a place to stay all in the span of one day. I even got a second job and a bike the day after that."

"A bike?"

"Yeah, I can't tell you how much I love the feeling of being free to go wherever, whenever. And Damon's teaching me how to drive."

"Damon? The blue-eyed, drop dead gorgeous man downstairs? Ric's best friend? The guy who's _cooking_ for us?" Jenna almost shrieked.

"Sounds like an accurate description."

"Why is he giving you driving lessons?"

"Because I don't know how to drive?"

"I know Mystic Falls is a small town, but surely they have driving instructors?"

"He offered, ok?"

"Oh. Tell me… what else has he offered?"

"Jenna!" Elena punched her aunt's arm.

"I'm just saying… he's pretty dreamy."

"Yeah, 'dream' being the operative word. I'm living in a fantasy, Jenna. He doesn't even know my real name. How can I have an honest relationship without honesty?"

"Did you consider telling him the truth?"

"I did. Part of it, anyways. I told him about Kyle."

"Wow… that's big, Elena."

"I know."

"How'd he react?"

"He didn't say much. He just listened and said he was sorry. I told him I didn't want to be treated differently, and he's honored that."

"Are you falling for him?"

"Yeah… I guess I am… but it doesn't matter. He deserves honesty, and until I can give him that…" Elena shook her head. "Forget about it. I wanna know how you met Ric," Elena winked at Jenna.

"Well, I was at the bar with one of my girlfriends, and he was sitting at the bar. I didn't really pay much attention to him at first. Then Kyle showed up, drunk as a skunk, and he started rambling about how I never respected his marriage to you and that he couldn't stand the sight of me. Ric heard him and stepped in. He politely suggested that Kyle go visit another establishment far, far away. Kyle took a swing at him, but Ric sidestepped him and he stumbled and fell. The bouncers carried him outside."

Elena was shocked at Jenna's account of the events, but a part of her was happy hearing of Kyle's demise. "So… how much did you tell Ric?"

"The basics. That Kyle was married to my niece, who recently drowned, and that we never got along."

"Thank you, Jenna. For not telling him everything. I'm sorry you have to lie to protect me."

"It's a small price to pay to know that you'll be safe. But Elena… you got away. You have a chance at a real life. You could be honest with Damon, and I believe I can trust Ric. It's your decision, sweetie."

"Did you see Kyle again after that night?"

"No. I haven't heard from him. But from what he said at the bar, I have every reason to think he believes you drowned."

"So I'm free? He's not coming for me?"

"He wouldn't even know where to start looking if he wanted to."

"And you're sure Ric won't say a word to anyone in LA?"

"Positive."

Elena took a deep breath. "Ok. I'll tell him. I'll tell him everything and hope he'll forgive me."

"Of course he'll forgive you, sweetie! You were scared. No-one could blame you for being careful."

"How long are you staying?"

"All week. Ric told me about this Masquerade Ball this town throws every year, and Damon got us invited."

"Great. Oh, we should probably go downstairs before we're missed," Elena said, climbing off the bed.

"Ok, let's go. And Elena?"

"Yeah?"

"Love the hair."

"Thanks, Jenna," Elena smiled and the two women made their way downstairs.

"Hey, perfect timing," Damon said as they entered the kitchen, "dinner's ready."

* * *

><p>They had a nice dinner where Ric told stories about Damon in college, Zach told stories of when he himself went to college, and Jenna and Elena listened with great interest and bombarded the men with questions to distract from the fact that neither of them wanted to talk about their lives.<p>

As the night came to an end, everyone thanked Damon for the delicious meal and Zach insisted that he'd take care of the dishes. Ric and Jenna settled into their room and Damon and Elena disappeared into their separate bedchambers.

Elena washed her face and looked at herself in the mirror, taking several steadying breaths in an attempt to calm herself and get rid of the butterflies the size of bats in her stomach. She had to do this tonight, before she lost her nerve and talked herself out of it again.

Elena tiptoed down the hallway until she reached Damon's room. She took another steadying breath before knocking quietly. No response. She knocked again, louder this time. Still nothing. Maybe he didn't want to see her. Elena sighed and turned away just when the door opened.

"Kat?"

Elena spun around. "Damon. Hi. I was wondering… could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Uh… sure, come on in." He held the door open for her and closed it behind them. "What's up?"

"I… there are some things you should know… about me. And once I've told you everything I need to say, you might not want to talk to me again."

"Ok…"

Elena walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. There were no chairs in the room, and she didn't trust her legs to carry her much longer. "Will you sit down?" she asked softly.

Damon complied, taking a seat beside her. Elena turned slightly, facing him. "My name isn't Katherine Pierce. It's Elena Gilbert. Everything I told you about my husband is true, up until the part where I left. My family didn't die in a fire. Kyle wouldn't let me go, and I was terrified. My aunt helped me plan my escape. I took swimming lessons without him knowing, my aunt helped me get a fake ID and one night we went out sailing when the weather suddenly changed. I saw my chance, and I took it. I jumped overboard and I let him think that I drowned. I swam to my aunt's house, got a change of clothing and the bag she had prepared for me, and I hopped on the first bus out of LA. My parents and my younger brother died in a car crash while I was in Paris with Kyle. I only had my aunt, and Kyle did his best to keep me from seeing her. I'm sorry I lied to you, to everyone. I couldn't risk Kyle finding out that I didn't drown. He would come after me and he would kill me. I understand if you never want to see me again. I'll leave. I'll get on the first bus out of here and you'll never have to talk to me again." Tears spilled onto her cheeks.

"Elena," Damon said softly, wiping her tears with his thumbs, cradling her face. "It suits you. It means light, you know. I have never met a woman with so much light inside. I'm so sorry for everything you've had to go through to get here, but I'm so grateful you walked into my life. I don't ever want you to leave."

"Damon…" Elena breathed. "You don't hate me for lying to you?"

"How could I ever?" he said softly, kissing her cheeks where the saltiness of her tears still lingered.

"Wait," she breathed, putting a finger to his lips. "There's something else I have to tell you."

Damon nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"Ric's new girlfriend… Jenna's my aunt."

"That's it?"

"No. I also wanted to tell you… I think I'm falling in love with you."

"I think… I can live with that," he smirked, earning himself a shove on the elbow. They were both smiling broadly, but after a little while of gazing into each other's eyes, Damon's face became serious, vulnerable. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Is it ok if you just hold me?" Elena said softly.

"That would be perfect," Damon said, stroking her face.

* * *

><p>"She's in some backwater town in Virginia, called Mystic Falls," the voice on the telephone said.<p>

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. That lowlife was right, following the aunt led me straight to her."

"Bring her to me."

"Yes, sir."

Kyle hung up the phone with a cruel smile on his lips. After he was kicked out of the bar where he found Jenna, Logan Fell had approached him, saying he had information that might interest him. If he was willing to pay for it, of course. With the name on the fake ID and the confirmation that Jenna Sommers had helped her niece escape, Kyle found himself the best P.I. money could buy. Mr. Smith wasn't only a talented investigator; he was an efficient assassin, as well. He had taken care of Logan Fell and he would see to it that neither Jenna Sommers nor Alaric Saltzman interfered with reuniting Kyle with his beloved wife. Yes, today was turning out to be a very good day.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Zach may be a little out of character in this story, but to be honest, we didn't get to see nearly enough of him in the show, so who really knows if he secretly had an obsession with furniture? : )_


	9. Closing In

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Thank you again for the sweet reviews. This chapter is for ayna93 for tweeting me to update and for supplying the last name for our bad guy. I'm sorry this is so short. Enjoy!_

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><p>ELENA'S ESCAPE<p>

~ Closing In ~

* * *

><p>Elena woke up in Damon's arms. She smiled as she looked up at the man holding her. Now that his eyes were closed, they weren't distracting her from seeing the rest of his face. He truly was beautiful.<p>

"Mm… good morning, beautiful," Damon said softly, opening his eyes.

Elena couldn't believe how blue they were. "You knew I was awake?"

"I felt you stir. I thought I'd give you a minute to duck out of here if you felt uncomfortable."

"Did you want me to?"

"God, no!"

"Good," Elena smiled and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. She pulled back and moved to get out of bed, but Damon's hand locked gently around her wrist. Elena looked back at him, puzzled.

"How 'bout a proper 'good morning'?" he winked.

Elena's confusion turned into a bright smile and she couldn't help giggling when he pulled her towards him.

"Good morning," she mumbled against his lips.

"Good morning," he repeated as he rolled them over so that he was on top of her, planting kisses down her neck. His hands found the hem of her camisole and pulled it over her head, taking his time to worship her body with his lips.

"Damon," she moaned.

"You're so beautiful, Elena," he whispered against her skin.

Her hands tangled in his hair and she guided him up to her lips again.

_Bang. Bang. Bang._

"What the hell?" Damon looked over his shoulder.

_Bang. Bang. Bang._

Damon reluctantly got off the bed and Elena pulled the covers up to her chin. Damon edged the door open. "Ric?"

"Hey, buddy. You up?"

* * *

><p>Elijah had spent the night parked down the road from the boarding house. He had found the perfect spot. The greenery was thick enough to keep anyone from spotting him, and with his riflescope he had been able to confirm that Kyle's wife was indeed in that house. If people only knew how easy it was to see through windows – especially when the lights were on inside. He had seen his mark and the aunt in what was presumably her bedroom. She had left the room later on, though, dressed for bed, and didn't return. Perhaps she had another bedroom on the other side of the house.<p>

Elijah looked at the picture again. Elena Gilbert. It wasn't the first time he had been enlisted to track down a cheating spouse or a runaway. Usually, though, the people who ran did so in the company of a large amount of cash or jewelry. A woman faking her own death and leaving with nothing was indeed unusual. Elijah was not one to ask questions. Kyle Olsen was a powerful man, and as such, he had connections. The kind of connections that led him to Elijah Smith, P.I. The P.I. license was a front, of course. It lent credibility to his actual profession. Hit man, as the colloquial term was. Yes, Kyle Olsen wanted Elena Gilbert dead, but he wanted the privilege of finishing the job for himself. Elijah had no objections. Elena Gilbert was a beautiful woman. Not that that would have stopped him from doing his job, but Elijah didn't mind sitting this one out.

* * *

><p>If they hadn't been best friends for so long, Damon probably would have punched Ric in the face. As it was, he controlled himself and instead said between gritted teeth, "What's with the wakeup call, Ric?"<p>

"Why so grumpy?" Ric said, pushing past Damon. He froze as he saw the startled figure in the bed, clutching the covers. "Oh… uh… sorry," Ric stuttered out and turned a dark shade of red before fleeing the room.

Damon shook his head and closed the door. Looking at Elena, they both soon burst out laughing.

"I should go get dressed," Elena said, pulling her camisole over her head and slipping out of bed.

"Why? He wouldn't dream of coming back here now," Damon said.

"Later, ok?" Elena said, planting a kiss on his cheek. "Today, I'd like you to meet my family," she smiled, walking out the door.

* * *

><p>When Elena got downstairs, Damon, Ric and Jenna were already at the breakfast table, digging into the assortment of spreads Zach had provided. Damon winked at her over his coffee cup and Elena couldn't feel a blush creeping up.<p>

"Elena! How'd you sleep?" Jenna asked, a smile on her face saying she knew the answer already.

"Elena?" Zach frowned.

"Oh, sorry. I told Ric this morning, after he told me… well, I figured you told Damon everything last night."

"It's fine, Jenna," Elena said, taking a seat. "Zach, it's a long story, but I would appreciate it if you referred to me as 'Katherine' a little while longer, at least around town. The truth is… uh… the truth is…"

"It's a long story, Zach," Damon interjected. "She'll tell you when she's ready."

"Of course. I didn't mean to pry."

"No. Don't worry about it," Elena said, and gave Zach a forgiving smile. To Damon she mouthed a 'thank you'.

* * *

><p>"So I have to teach my class, but why don't you take the day off and spend it with Jenna?" Damon suggested as they were walking out. "Ric can help me with class. I was actually planning on a Q&amp;A session where my students can ask my lovely TA all sorts of embarrassing questions."<p>

"You were not," Elena laughed and punched his arm.

"Ok, maybe not. But I am now. Payback for this morning, Ric," Damon shot his friend a meaning look.

"What? I haven't been embarrassed enough for one day?" Ric exclaimed, exasperated.

"Not even close, buddy."

* * *

><p>"I'm looking at her right now, sir," Elijah reported. "She's leaving the house with her aunt and Saltzman. I'm uploading the pictures now.<p>

Kyle sat by his computer and waited impatiently for the results of Smith's surveillance. When the files appeared in the dedicated website's file manager, he eagerly clicked on the links. He swore loudly as he saw his wife exiting a house, smiling and holding hands with some guy.

"Watch her," he growled. "Don't let her out of your sight. I'm on the next flight out."


	10. Bullet Point

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Thank you for your kind reviews and your patience. A special thanks goes out to my twitter friends, who keeps pushing me to update this story. So sorry for the long wait. I tried to make up for it by leaving you with an especially mean cliffhanger… : ) I'm thinking there will be one more chapter after this one, followed by an epilogue. Enjoy!_

_Btw, I'm co-writing a story with XxVampireXLoverxX , called "Never Give Up". It's her idea, so all credit really goes to her… Check it out : )_

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><p>ELENA'S ESCAPE<p>

~ Bullet Point ~

* * *

><p>Elena and Jenna spent the day together, shopping and talking. They had lunch at the Grill and Elena introduced Jenna as Ric's girlfriend to Matt, Caroline and Lexi. As they were walking down the street with the ice cream cones they had bought at the ice cream stand, Jenna turned to Elena.<p>

"You seem happy, 'Lena."

"I am," Elena said, realizing she truly felt that way.

"I'm sorry about this morning. I didn't mean to tell Zach."

"It's fine, Jenna. Zach is a good man. I trust him. Besides, you were right. I got away. It's time I start living my life."

"How did Damon react when you told him?"

"He was great. He said he was grateful I came into his life and that he doesn't want me to ever leave. Then he asked me to spend the night with him."

"I kinda figured that from Ric's vague description this morning…"

"We didn't… he just held me. What happened this morning is a different story…" Elena blushed. "But Ric broke up the party early, so to speak."

"Oh. I'm so sorry. Had I known, I would have kept him occupied."

Elena laughed. "Don't worry about it. We have all the time in the world to be together."

"So what are we wearing tomorrow night?" Jenna said, steering Elena towards the costume shop.

The hosts of the Masquerade Ball, Mayor Lockwood and his wife, had sent the costume shop a list of proper attire for the Ball, of which the invited guests were allowed to make their selection.

The men's wear was formal - black tie and black masks. The women, however, had a wide selection of gowns and masks.

Elena picked out a royal blue gown and a butterfly mask in blue with gold flecks.

Jenna chose a sea green gown that complemented her strawberry blonde hair and fair skin, and a mermaid-inspired mask with silver and green 'scales'.

"It's perfect, Jenna," Elena nodded in approval as Jenna showed off her outfit.

"You like it? It just reminded me of home."

"You look amazing."

"Thanks, kiddo. What about you? Aren't you going to try it on?"

"I did. It's fine."

"Come on, I'm sure it's better than 'fine'. Won't you show me?"

"Oh, ok," Elena sighed and ducked into the changing room.

When Elena reappeared, Jenna gasped. "Elena, it's gorgeous!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah! Damon's gonna flip!"

"If he likes it, I'm glad. But I'm done dressing to please others. I chose the butterfly because I've been locked up in a cocoon for so long, and now I'm finally free. I'm ready to fly."

* * *

><p>"Hello, sir? Yes, I've been following her. Apparently, they are going to a party tomorrow, a Masquerade Ball. Yes. Yes, sir. I'll take care of it."<p>

Elijah hung up the phone and got to work, following his new orders.

* * *

><p>"Did you girls have fun?" Damon asked as Elena and Jenna entered the boarding house arm in arm, laden with shopping bags and giggling like crazy.<p>

"Yes," Elena replied, collecting herself. "How was class?"

"Dull as hell."

"Why? You love teaching."

"But I didn't have a beautiful TA to rest my eyes on," Damon pouted.

"Hey!" Ric objected, affronted. "You sayin' I'm not beautiful?" he feigned hurt.

"You're beautiful on the inside, Ric," Damon mocked, covering his heart with his hand and faking sentimentality.

"Well, _I_ think he's hot," Jenna said, kissing Ric's cheek.

"Thank you," he smiled, sending Damon a look that said '_see?'_.

Damon laughed. "Working the pity angle, I see."

"Be nice," Elena said, playfully punching his arm.

"Ow," Damon pouted.

"Oh, did I hurt you?" Elena mocked.

"Yes. I think you need to kiss it and make it better."

"Aww… where does it hurt, _baby_?" Elena joked.

"_Everywhere_," Damon whispered huskily in her ear.

Elena blushed, but quickly regained her composure. "Put a Band-Aid on it. We're going out," she said and grabbed her shopping bags. "Jenna, you coming?" she asked over her shoulder.

* * *

><p>"Where are we going?" Jenna asked as they were in Elena's en suite bathroom, doing their makeup.<p>

"The Grill. There's a live band playing tonight. I promised I'd help Lexi hostess for a couple of hours."

"You're working?"

"Yes, but just for a couple of hours, and the dress code's casual tonight, which means…" she said, rummaging through her things and picking up a short black dress from one of her shopping bags, "… that I can wear this."

"You're not worried people might spill their drinks when you're serving them?"

"I'm more concerned _I'll_ spill out of this dress, to be honest."

"I haven't seen you wear anything like this since…"

"Since before I met Kyle. Yeah, I know. If he ever saw me in this he'd call be a slut and lock me in the bedroom."

"Well, those days are behind you now," Jenna said, placing a reassuring hand on her niece's shoulder.

"Yeah, they are."

* * *

><p>About an hour later, Elena and Jenna emerged from Elena's bedroom and walked downstairs. Damon's jaw dropped when he saw Elena, and Ric was equally affected by Jenna's appearance. Jenna had her hair pinned up in loose curls with a few tresses down to frame her face. Elena's curly bob had a similar effect. Jenna was wearing a fitted, knee-length red dress which brought out the reds in her strawberry blonde hair. Elena's black knee-length spaghetti-strapped dress flared out, revealing her long, shapely legs and plenty of her olive skin.<p>

"Do we really have to leave just yet?" Damon whispered in her ear.

Elena giggled. "Yes. But I promise we won't stay too long, ok?"

Damon groaned. "I'm gonna hold you to that."

* * *

><p>"Where are they?" Kyle barked at Elijah when he met him on the private airstrip just outside town.<p>

"She's working at the local watering hole tonight. Sommers and Saltzman are there as well."

"And the guy who's been screwing my wife?" Kyle snarled.

"Damon Salvatore. He's there too."

"Is everything set for tomorrow?"

"Yes. Your tux and mask is waiting for you at the B n' B."

"You set me up in a B n' B?"

"It's not like this town has a hotel. The only other place in town is the Salvatore Boarding House. Mrs. Flowers is a half-blind, half-deaf old lady. She won't make trouble for us."

"She better not," Kyle growled.

"May I ask, sir, why not just grab her tonight? We could wait for them at the boarding house. You _do_ still want the others eliminated, no?"

"Yes. But I have my own plan for my slut of a wife. We'll do it tomorrow. Tonight, I want to see her."

"Certainly, sir."

* * *

><p>Elijah entered the Grill with a bug-sized microphone and a button-sized video camera. From the black van parked outside, Kyle could see and hear everything that was going on inside. Elijah settled down on a stool at the bar, which left the camera in eye level with Elena's cleavage as she was pouring drinks. Kyle groaned and slammed his fist against the car door.<p>

"Hey, sweetie, wanna get us some drinks over here?" a broad-shouldered dark-haired man strode up to the bar.

Elena looked over at Lexi, who was busy pouring drinks for the band and resigned. "I'll be right out, Tyler. Beer all around, right?"

"You remembered," he winked.

"Yeah, well, you're here every night, so…" Elena shrugged.

"Never seen you looking so fine, though…"

"Knock it off, Tyler," Elena rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come on, you know you love it… When you get tired of your 'boyfriend', come join me in the men's room."

"Ew, gross," Elena frowned.

"We could go back to my place if you'll be more comfortable there," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and trailed the back of her hand with his index finger.

"Won't your pregnant girlfriend mind?" Elena said and yanked her hand away.

"Oh, right… well, how 'bout my backseat, then?"

"How 'bout I get you those beers and you go home to Vicki?"

"You're no fun, Kat."

"Yeah, I know."

Tyler strode off in a huff and Elijah turned to Elena. "I must say, miss, you handled that impeccably. I would have stepped in, but I am not a violent man by design."

"Yeah, thanks. He's a regular. He's always like that," Elena shrugged.

"It does not make you uncomfortable?"

"Only if I let him get to me."

"You are a strong woman."

"When I need to be, I guess," she shrugged. "Can I get you a refill?"

"No, thank you. I think I've had enough for one night," Elijah said, left a generous tip and exited the bar.

* * *

><p>"You can go join your friends, Kat," Lexi said after another hour.<p>

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Matt's gonna take the late shift. Go on. I _know_ you wanna dance with Damon," Lexi nudged Elena's shoulder and winked.

"I'm off the clock," Elena announced to Damon, Ric and Jenna, who were at a table for four.

"Finally," Damon rolled his eyes and pulled her to sit beside him.

"What are you guys drinking?" Elena asked, looking around the table.

"Bourbon," Damon answered.

Elena rolled her eyes. "I wasn't asking _you_."

"Yeah, I'm afraid I'm with Damon on this one…" Ric said, holding up his empty tumbler.

"It's like you two are…" Jenna shook her head.

"Soulmates? Yeah, we get that a lot," Damon joked.

"Well, I for one want another vodka lime," Jenna proclaimed.

"Sounds good to me," Elena agreed and moved to leave her seat.

"Hey, where are you going?" Damon asked.

"To get our drinks."

"Oh, no. You've been working all night. Sit. I'll get them."

"Damon, that's really not necessary," Elena objected.

"Sure it is," he shrugged, kissed her cheek and headed over to the bar.

* * *

><p>"Do you have a silencer?" Kyle asked when Elijah got in the van.<p>

"In my case, yes," Elijah said, gesturing to a metallic briefcase. "Did you change your mind? You're taking her out tonight?"

"No. Tonight, I'm sending a message."

"What kind of message?"

"Don't mess with another man's wife," Kyle replied coldly, taking the gun and silence out of its case, assembling the piece.

* * *

><p>"Come on, 'Lena, let's dance," Jenna said enthusiastically, the drinks she'd consumed having gone to her head.<p>

"Um…"

"Come on," Jenna insisted and took Elena's hand, pulling her out of her seat and leading her over to the dance floor.

Elena cast a pleading look at Damon over her shoulder, but he simply laughed. From their table, they had an excellent view of the dance floor, and he was looking forward to watching Elena. It didn't take him long to follow her, though, and Elena soon found herself wrapped up in Damon's strong arms. She turned around in the small space he had created between their bodies and he placed his hands on her hips as she draped her arms around his neck.

"What took you so long?" she purred.

Damon answered her by crashing his lips down on hers.

* * *

><p>Kyle waited patiently for his target. Once the man he sought appeared outside the bar, Kyle slipped out of the van and approached him.<p>

"Hey, you!"

"Yeah?"

Kyle watched in grim satisfaction as the bullet in the dark-haired man's head turned off the light in his eyes and he dropped to the ground.

"You should have kept your filthy paws off my wife," he said coldly and walked away, getting back in the van and driving off.


	11. Masquerade

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Final chapter… Stay tuned for an epilogue. Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>ELENA'S ESCAPE<p>

~ Masquerade ~

* * *

><p>Elena awoke in Damon's arms with a smile on her face. They had left the Grill shortly after their dance and continued what they started earlier that morning. As Elena stirred to remove herself from Damon's embrace, he groaned.<p>

"Where are you going?"

"Shower," Elena said. "In case you've forgotten, I have to get to work."

"But you took an extra shift last night."

"Yeah, well, I'm scheduled to work today, so you're gonna have to let go," Elena smiled and pushed at his arm.

"Don't wanna," Damon pouted.

"You can join me in the shower…" Elena teased.

"Ok, I'm up," Damon said quickly.

* * *

><p>Elena rode her bike to the Grill and was shocked to find it closed off with police tape. Caroline and Matt were talking to the sheriff and Elena waved to get Caroline's attention. The blonde excused herself and ran over to Elena.<p>

"Oh my god, Kat, you won't believe what happened!"

"What?"

"Last night, I came in to help Matt close up, and the Grill was almost empty except for Tyler. He had been drinking all night and he was in really bad shape. Matt made him some coffee and sent him home. We closed up and went out through the back, like we always do."

"Yeah?"

"Then this morning, I was out for a jog, and I found… I saw… I found his body." Caroline started shaking from reliving the moment.

"Whose?"

"Tyler's," Caroline started sobbing. "He was just… laying there, in a pool of his own blood. His eyes were still open, and there was this… hole in his head… I've never seen a dead person before… I mean, like in real life. I watch a lot of crime shows and horror movies, you know, but this… I don't think I'll ever sleep again."

Elena wrapped her arms around the blonde's quivering form, rubbing her back soothingly.

After awhile, the sobbing subsided, and Caroline pulled back, wiping her eyes.

"And you guys didn't hear anything?" Elena asked, puzzled.

"No, not a thing. Who would do this? I know Tyler was a jerk, but he was going to be a father. Matt's family doesn't have a lot of money, and Tyler was going to provide for Vicki, he promised her that. I don't know if his family's going to care about their bastard grandchild. They're so… I mean, I don't mean to be rude or disrespectful, Carol's been nice to me, but they're really high-brow, you know? Mayor Lockwood tried to get Vicki to have an abortion just to keep up appearances."

Elena didn't know what to say, so she settled for patiently listening to Caroline's rambling.

"You know, my mom called the Lockwoods to tell them about Tyler – I wasn't supposed to be listening, but… well, Mayor Lockwood said they were still going to have the Masquerade Ball tonight, but that he would dedicate it to his son. Apparently, they have invited some important business associates and politicians, and it's simply too late to cancel the party now. Can you believe that? Who would throw a party the same day their son was shot? It's really crazy, if you ask me."

Elena couldn't agree more. No matter how sleazy Tyler had been towards her, he didn't deserve to be murdered. And he certainly didn't deserve parents that cared more about appearances than their son. Perhaps that's why he turned out the way he did.

"Is there… anything I can do?" Elena offered.

"No… we're gonna keep the Grill closed today, so you can just head home. Spend some time with Damon and his friends."

"Um…"

"Oh, come on, like I don't know what's going on," Caroline rolled her eyes. "You're practically glowing."

Elena blushed.

"Go on, get out of here," Caroline urged her on.

* * *

><p>"You know, I really don't feel right about going tonight," Elena said as Damon zipped up her dress.<p>

"It's weird, I know. But it's expected. The Lockwoods would be extremely affronted if we skipped their party.

"I just don't understand… why would someone throw a party when a family member just died?"

"It's their way of dealing. Some people cry when they lose someone the love, some people turn off all their emotions."

"I suppose…"

"You look beautiful, by the way," he whispered in her ear and kissed her shoulder.

* * *

><p>"Are we clear on the plan for tonight?" Kyle said to Elijah as they left the B n' B and got in the van.<p>

"Salvatore and Saltzman will be occupied, as agreed."

"Good," Kyle said and put his mask on.

* * *

><p>The Lockwood mansion was indeed impressive. The surrounding gardens were bathed in light and inside giant candelabras provided warmth and illumination. Elena looked around, wide-eyed.<p>

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

"Not as half as beautiful as you are," Damon whispered in her ear, making her blush.

"Mayor Lockwood. Carol." Damon greeted the hosting couple.

"Good to see you, Damon," Richard Lockwood said, shaking his hand.

Damon kissed Carol's cheek before introducing Elena – as Kat – and Ric and Jenna. Elena did not appreciate the way Mayor Lockwood's eyes raked over her body.

"We're terribly sorry about your loss," Damon said sincerely, while slipping an arm protectively around Elena's waist.

"Thank you, Damon," Carol said stoically. "I hope you will enjoy the party. The Masquerade Ball was always Tyler's favorite event. He would have liked to see you having a good time."

* * *

><p>About an hour later, a stout, thin-haired man approached the small group. "Excuse me, are you Mr. Salvatore, Mr. Saltzman?" the man said, looking between the two men.<p>

"We are," Ric confirmed.

"Mayor Lockwood told my boss – the deputy secretary of education – about you, and he wishes to have a word."

"Now?" Damon frowned.

"No time like the present," the man shrugged.

"Well…" Damon looked over at Elena, who gave him an encouraging smile and nod.

"Jenna and I will be fine."

Soon after Damon and Ric disappeared into the crowd, a masked man asked Jenna to dance. She happily agreed after a quick glance at Elena, who approved. Elena was heading towards the refreshment table when she felt a hand lock around her wrist. She spun around in confusion.

"May I have this dance?" a voice said. It was oddly familiar and sent chills down her spine.

"Actually…" she began, but was cut off as he pulled her towards him.

"I'm not taking no for an answer, _Elena."_

Elena gasped. "Kyle."

"Didn't think I would find you, huh?" Kyle smirked as he wrapped his arms tighter around her.

Elena looked over his shoulder, trying to find someone to help.

"Don't even think about it," he hissed. "See the man your precious aunt Jenna is dancing with?" he said, spinning her around to see the other couple dancing. "If you so much as move in the wrong direction, he will snap her neck. He was a marine, you know. They know how to take a life with their bare hands. I respect that ability."

"Is that what you're going to do to me?" Elena asked, chilled to the bone.

"You're already dead, Elena. You drowned, remember? I've searched for you for weeks. I think it's only fair that your actual death lasts that long, don't you?"

"Kyle, please…"

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you have time to say goodbye to all your little friends before you go… actually, you'll outlive them all…"

"No," Elena breathed.

"You thought you could run off and get yourself a new life, huh?"

"Kyle… please. This was my fault. I'll do anything, just don't hurt anyone else."

"I put a bullet in a man whose only offence was to flirt with you. You can only imagine what I will do to the man whose bed you've been sharing…"

"Kyle…"

"Adultery is a serious affair, Elena. Do you _know_ what they do to adulterers in other cultures?"

"We're no longer married."

"Excuse me?"

"You said it yourself – your wife died. Til death do us part, Kyle, that's the deal we made."

"See, there's one small problem with that…" he said, trailing her neck with his index finger until he found her pulse point. "Your heart is still beating."

"What are you going to do, Kyle? We're surrounded by people. You'll never get out of here."

Kyle's hand grabbed the back of her neck and applied pressure. "See, that's where you're wrong. You wouldn't want anyone else to die, right?"

"You're going to kill them anyways, no matter what I do."

"You try to scream, Mr. Smith will take out your aunt, and the so-called secretary of education will take out Salvatore and Saltzman. Come with me, and they will live to see another day."

"Do you give me your word that you will spare them?"

"I promise they will live to see tomorrow."

"That's not good enough."

"Well, it's the best I can offer."

Kyle took Elena's silence as acceptance of his terms and he ushered her out of the mansion. He ordered her to get in the car, and she had no other option than to obey. As she got in, though, she spotted something shiny on the floor and quickly slipped it into her bra. She didn't dare let out a sigh of relief when Kyle got in the driver's seat and didn't seem to have noticed her movement. Instead she spoke, her voice quivering slightly.

"Where are you taking me?"

"I'm sending a message."

"What message?"

"You're mine."

"And how are you going to display that?"

"You'll see," Kyle said as he gunned the engine.

* * *

><p>Elena gasped when Kyle drove up to the boarding house. "What are you…?"<p>

"Shut up," Kyle snarled and struck her across the face. Elena winced in pain, then reached up to wipe the blood from her lip.

Zach didn't go to the Masquerade Ball, Elena realized with dread. He was in there. Kyle would kill him.

"You don't have to do this, Kyle," she pleaded. "Take me anywhere."

"It's poetic, don't you think? Your lover will come home to find you in his bed – well, traces of you, at least."

"You're sick," Elena breathed.

"And you're my property, slut. Now get your ass out of the car."

On shaky legs, Elena obeyed. Kyle grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the house. The door was unlocked, a sure sign Zach was home. Elena panicked.

"Please, Kyle, don't hurt anyone."

"Since when do I take orders from _you_?" he snarled and pushed the door open.

"Damon?" Zach's voice sounded.

Please, stay away, Elena silently begged.

Elena would never forget the sight of Zach's face, turning from surprise to shock, and finally to terror before his body hit the ground with a bullet lodged in his chest. She cried out but Kyle pulled her away and up the stairs.

"Where's his bedroom?" he growled.

Elena couldn't stop crying and he grabbed a fistful of her hair and forced her to look into his cold, steely grey eyes.

"Where. Is. It?" he enunciated.

Sobbing, Elena nodded to one of the doors in the hallway. Kyle pushed her into the door, towards the bed.

"Strip," he commanded.

"No," Elena refused.

"I said…" he threw her on the bed and was about to rip the fabric from her body before Elena realized she didn't have much time to act. She rolled off the bed to the other side, landing on her knees.

Furious, Kyle strode over to her and grabbed her arm, turning her over and straddling her. His fury turned into surprise when she plunged the tiny screwdriver into his neck. Bleeding profusely, he let go of her to staunch the blood flow with his hand, giving Elena enough time to grab the gun from its holster. She pulled the trigger and fired several rounds without a moment's hesitation. Kyle fell backwards, his head hitting the floor. Elena squirmed to get away from underneath him, as his legs were still weighing her down. Traumatized, she dropped the gun and crawled into the corner, tucking her knees up to her chin, looking at his still body and the blood pooling on the carpet.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of sirens outside. Zach. She scrambled off the floor and started to move towards the door, when she suddenly tripped. She spun around on the floor to see Kyle's cold eyes on her, his hand locked around her ankle. In his other hand he held the gun she had discarded on the floor. Elena's eyes widened as he aimed and pulled the trigger. So this was it. Elena blinked, expecting only darkness to descend. But nothing happened. All that could be heard was the clicking of the empty gun and the thud as Kyle's head once again hit the floor, all the life in his cruel eyes down extinguished.

Elena couldn't move. Her body was in shock. She could hear people in the house, searching for her. But she couldn't speak. She had lost all ability to form words. All she could do was stare at the man on the floor.

When the paramedics came, she heard their voices only in the distance. As they checked her eyes for response, she saw nothing. Numb. That was the best word to describe her state.

"She's in shock," someone said. Then she was being covered with a blanket and put on a gurney of sorts. Was she dead? Was this what death was like? No, she knew what death looked like. It looked like her ex-husband. She must still be alive. Elena was vaguely aware of the people surrounding her, the hand squeezing hers as she was being moved into an ambulance.

"You're safe now," a velvety voice said. "I love you."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: All will be explained in the epilogue, I promise… : )_


	12. Epilogue

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Thank you SO much for all your kind reviews. Another story finished… yay! : ) Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>ELENA'S ESCAPE<p>

~ Epilogue ~

* * *

><p>"How is she?" Liz Forbes asked Damon, who was in the hospital waiting room.<p>

"The doctors say it's an acute stress reaction, but she will recover within days, maybe even hours."

"Risk for PTSD?"

"Some, but Elena's strong. She's resilient."

"Damon… you know that's not…"

"Not a guarantee, I know. But I have faith in her. She'll come through this."

"When you feel up to it, I'm going to need a formal statement."

"Of course. We could do it right now. The trauma counselor is in there with her now, so I won't be able to see her anyways."

"Ok. Good."

* * *

><p>It was a series of fortunate events that turned a potential disaster into a manageable situation. The chest wound Zach suffered was not fatal and he was still conscious when the paramedics got to him. With his last strength, he had managed to reach his phone and call Damon, who excused himself from the secretary of education's company. Immediately putting the pieces together, Damon had grabbed Ric and found the sheriff, who in turn had alerted her deputies and the paramedics. Together, they found Jenna dancing and Elijah, being outnumbered, fled the scene. On their way to the boarding house, Damon had briefed Liz on Kat's – Elena's – history and explained the situation.<p>

* * *

><p>Elijah was on the road when he heard the news over the radio. His employer was dead. Elijah shrugged. He had been paid in advance and this worked out wonderfully.<p>

* * *

><p>When Elena returned to the boarding house, the carpets had been replaced and all trace of Kyle was wiped away. She still couldn't bring herself to enter Damon's bedroom, though. There may be no evidence left of what transpired there, but she could still picture it in vivid detail. Damon understood, and moved into her room instead. Towards the end of the summer, he would be going back to the city and his regular job at the college, and he asked Elena to come with him. She happily agreed.<p>

Jenna and Ric returned to California, and they helped Elena take care of the paperwork surrounding her supposed death. The story they went with was that Elena was rescued but suffered from amnesia and that was why she didn't come forward sooner to contest her death certificate. With her death certificate declared invalid, Elena was able to use her own name and high school diploma to apply for college. She was accepted and would start in the fall.

* * *

><p>The last night before Damon and Elena were set to leave for the city, Damon insisted there was something he wanted to show her. It was already dark outside, and Elena didn't know where they were when Damon parked the car. He got out a lantern from his trunk and grabbed a picnic basket before taking her hand and leading her through the woods.<p>

When they reached a clearing in the woods, Elena gasped. The full moon shone bright, reflecting in the water. Damon laid down a blanket and placed the basket on it. Then he asked her to take a seat and disappeared into the darkness of the woods.

"Damon?" Elena asked, unnerved.

The next thing she knew, the clearing lit up with garden lights. She could see the waterfall clearly now, as torches were set around it. Elena looked around in amazement, staring at Damon in awe as he returned.

"How…?"

"I called in a favor or two," he shrugged. "Don't worry, they'll make themselves scarce soon."

"Who?" Elena asked, but then she heard a giggle that could only belong to Caroline.

Damon opened the picnic basket and got out a bottle of champagne, as well as an assortment of cheese, crackers and grapes.

"Wait… the falls… full moon… candle light… are you hoping to get lucky tonight?" Elena winked at Damon.

"I'm already the luckiest man alive," he smiled and captured her lips with his.

THE END


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